Of the Street
by Hypnotized by the Whirl
Summary: After a terrible upbringing by his Aunt and Uncle, Harry finds himself in the open arms of the Weasley family. His presence changes the family forever. AU HP/Various There will be slash. Sexuality, violence. All the fun stuff. Completed.
1. Escape

Chapter 1  
_Escape_

Harry curled up under the ratty blanket, desperately trying to keep warm. By sheer luck he had not frozen to death. Whether it was good luck or bad luck was arguable. He pulled his knees up to his chest, but the thin covering still wasn't enough, even when curled up. He held this position and tried falling asleep. He tossed and turned, but like every other night, he couldn't get comfortable. He turned onto his back and looked upward. He imagined the starry skies. How badly he wanted to see the stars again. He remembered when he was younger, and his parents were still alive. They would take him to the theatre when a good show was in town. They would walk through the streets of London, and he would look upward at the infinite stars in the black sky in wonder.

It was all but a blur, the night his parents died. They were on their way back home from the opera. It was Harry's birthday and his parents wanted to treat him to something special. They went down the wrong street that night. A figure shrouded in black came from behind a lamppost and attempted to kidnap Harry. His mother screamed and his father chased the man down. The dark figure took out a pistol and shot at Harry's parents. Harry's father fell. His mother screamed out his name and rushed towards him. The kidnapper shot again and hit her in the chest. Harry witnessed his parents fall, but was too overcome with shock to react.

A constable who had heard the shots came from around a corner and took aim at the man. Harry was thrown at the constable and the figure ran across the street and down an alley. The constable ran after the man, leaving Harry alone. Harry walked toward his parents lying dead on the ground. His eyes were filled with tears. He laid next to his mother and clutched on to her lifeless form.

Harry jerked awake. He had fallen asleep and his dreams, as per usual, were of the death of his parents. His foot pressed into a nail and Harry yelped. It began to bleed. He carefully maneuvered himself into a sitting position, being careful not to stab himself on another nail or hit his head on the low ceiling of the cupboard. The wound had started to bleed, so Harry took the little blanket he had, ripped off a piece and bandaged his foot. Now with less cover than he had before, he curled up tighter, tucking his arms into Dudley's night shirt to make up for the loss of some of the sheet. It was rather ineffective, however, because it was nearly too old and too small to be very warming. But he had to make good with what he was given, which was rarely much and never enough. After getting as comfortable as was possible in his situation, he laid his head down on the hard, wooden floor, he wasn't allowed the luxury of a pillow, and fell asleep.

A few hours later, there came a banging on the cupboard door. "Wake up! It's time for breakfast and if I don't find food on my plate in five minutes, you'll be getting a beating." Vernon's gruff voice yelled out as his noisy footfalls silenced as he walked into the kitchen.

"Like you'd die from hunger if you didn't eat this very minute." Harry muttered under his breath. He quickly threw his blanket off of him and then saw the piece of sheet wrapped around his foot. He untied it and examined his wound. Although it had already scabbed over, it was tender, and the skin around it had turned a sickly yellow. He opened the door and was beginning to crawl out, when his cousin thundered down the hall and slammed the door in his face, narrowly crushing his hand. "Dammit!" He exclaimed in frustration. Again he opened the door and crawled out of his cupboard. As he stood upright, a pain shot through his foot and he nearly fell. He hobbled through the kitchen door and set to work on breakfast.

Harry started serving when Vernon noticed his awkward walk. "Boy, why are you limping." He asked him just before stuffing porridge into his mouth.

"Nothing Uncle Vernon, I just pricked my foot on a nail, in my cupboard." Harry answered as he hobbled back over to the stove.

"Oh my goodness." Petunia cried, jumping to her feet. "How bad was it?"

"It wasn't that bad. It only bled a little." Harry said, wondering why she cared.

"WHAT! You were bleeding and you didn't tell us." Petunia cried, and then she pointed her finger at her nephew, "Did you get any blood on my floors?"

He knew there was no way that she would actually care about his well-being. "No, it happened last night, there's blood on my blanket, but that's it."

"Good, good, well you should be more careful, Vernon will have a belt to your backside if I find blood on my precious hardwoods."

"Yes, Aunt Petunia." Harry tended to breakfast again, the sausage was almost burnt, and so he quickly plated it and put it on the table. "May I eat now?"

"Fine, fine, eat your spoonful of porridge and then clean up this mess." Vernon said. At that moment, there was a knock at the door. "Dudley, get the door."

"Make Harry get the door." Dudley whined. "What good is he if he never does anything?"

Harry rolled his eyes at Dudley's comment; he was headed towards the door when Vernon yelled, "STOP! Dudley, get the door. If anyone important is at the door, I don't want them greeted by him." Dudley grumbled as he got up. When he returned he was holding a letter. "What you got there?"

"Telegram." He grunted. "Here."

"Well let me see." As he read the telegram, his face lit up. "My boss is coming for dinner tonight. He wants to talk to me about a big promotion. We need to go to market and get a nice big turkey, some potatoes, vegetables and a pie. I need to impress Mr. Weasley. This promotion could give us the high-life.

"Oh honey, that's wonderful. Hear that Dudley, we could get you a brand new bicycle and Harry, you can start cleaning; this place needs to be spotless." Petunia said. "We'll be back at 3:00, so this place better be clean by then or…"

"Or I'll get a beating." Harry finished. "I'll be right on it." Harry cleared the table and waited for the Dursleys to leave. "Thank God." The moment they stepped out the door, he took the food he hid and began to eat, savoring what little food he had. After it was finished he started on the endless housework and hoped the time would go by fast.

"Mrs. Dursley, the meal was delicious." Arthur Weasley complimented. "You have such a lovely home."

"Why thank you, Mr. Weasley." Petunia said. "I am a very meticulous homemaker. It would be absolutely dreadful to live like commoners. I take pride in my home."

"Vernon, you have such a lovely family. I can't see any reason why I wouldn't give you the promotion."

"Oh, thank you so much, Mr. Weasley. Would you care for some pie? It's apple." Vernon offered.

"Oh, no, thank you, I'm actually due somewhere else soon, I am a very busy man, after all." He said.

"Well, let me cut you a piece and send it with you." Petunia said as she headed into the kitchen.

"If you insist."

"We do." Vernon said. "Let me walk you to the door; you'll have to come back another day, and have some pie and coffee."

"That'd be delightful."

"Here you go, Arthur, one slice of apple pie."

"Thank you Petunia. I'll see you at work on Monday, Vernon. Thank you again for hav…what was that sound?" He heard Harry rustling about in his cupboard. "It came from in here." He said, motioning toward the cupboard door.

"No, don't look in there, it could be a, a, a rat." Petunia pleaded. Vernon and Petunia stood frozen. As Arthur opened the door, they had held their breath and hoped for the best.

"What in the world is this?" Arthur asked.

"Our servant boy." Vernon said hesitantly.

"This is how you treat your servants?" Arthur asked. "He's just a boy, and so thin, do you even feed him?"

"Of course we do, we're not monsters." Petunia said.

"Well, I won't allow this, not from one of my employees." Arthur said.

"Please, no, don't take away my promotion. What if I give you the boy? You can treat him better than us, you have more resources, and I'm sure you could use a servant; he's very well-behaved and a very hard worker."

"Yes, I'd be glad to take him from you; he deserves to be in a family that cares. Here, 100 pounds for your troubles. What's your name, lad?"

"Harry, sir, Harry Potter." He replied.

"Come along Harry, I'll be sure that you don't have to go through anything this bad again." Arthur said.

"Thank you, sir"

"There's a carriage right outside, gather your things and I'll bring you to my home."

"I don't have anything, sir." Harry said.

"That's fine, for now, I have a son, you can share some of his clothes. Come along, it's time to get you to a proper home." As he led Harry out the door, he turned and made one last statement. "Vernon, you can pack up your things on Monday, after all, a big promotion entails a big office."

"Oh, yes, Mr. Weasley, I agree with you 100%."

"However, you'll be getting neither, Vernon, you're fired." And with a flourish of his cloak, he was gone.

"You're going to be very happy with me and my family, Harry, I'm sure of it." Arthur said as he escorted Harry into the horse-drawn carriage. Harry had never been in one such as this, or rather, he had never been in one at all. He had seen many that arrived to transport the Dursleys, but he had never been allowed to leave the confines of their house. It was different now; he didn't know how he had been so lucky, he had always lived in the squalor that the Dursleys had laid out for him. But now, everything was going to change, and Harry was sure it would be for the better

As they made their way to the Weasley home, Harry found himself looking out the carriage window to the city. The sun had almost set below the horizon, which gave the sky a red hue and the city a romantic look. It had been so long since he had seen London, living in the dull suburbia of Little Whinging since he'd been seven, nearly eight years ago. It was better than his memory served. In the distance Harry saw a stunning mansion, it was beautiful, illuminated by the dimming light of the sun it looked even more amazing. He couldn't believe that anyone could own anything so awe-inspiring. "May I ask a question?" Harry queried.

"You just did." Arthur responded.

"Oh, okay." Harry said. An odd silence lasted a few moments when Arthur broke it.

"Didn't you have a question?" He asked.

"Yes, but I thought I was talking out of turn, see Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia _never_ let me ask questions."

"No, no, as far as I'm concerned, anything that those miserable people taught you, you may as well forget. Now what was your question?"

"Oh right, um, I was wondering who lives in that big house over there?"

"Why would you like to know?"

"It's just that it's such a nice house, I've never seen anything like it. It's huge, and even though there's no sun, there's still light, and I don't know how that happened because I didn't see anyone around to light any lamps. I bet nobody in that house is forced to sleep in a cupboard under the stairs."

"My heavens, no, I would never allow my family to live like that." Arthur said with a smile.

"You mean…"

"Yes."

"And then…'

"Right."

"So I…"

"That's correct."

Harry became so overcome with joy. It swelled within him like a balloon. There were so many things that he wanted to say. He'd never been so happy. "Thank you." Was all he could think of, all that he knew to say, he had never had a reason to be thankful, but his luck was turning around. He stared out the window and looked at his new home. He may have a real home, a real family, or as close as he could get to one, for the first time in so long.

A/N: Like the recent stories I've submitted, I'm reposting this with some alterations here and there. I hope you'll enjoy it and leave some review. I'd be so appreciative.


	2. Home

Chapter 2

Home

The sounds of the gate creaking open removed Harry from his reverie. He was lost in the noise around him. The crickets chirping, the horses trotting, an unrecognizable hum that he was sure was coming from the strange luminaries that adorned the grounds. "I'm so grateful for this, you wouldn't believe. It was awful with the Dursleys, so I just want you to know how thankful I am for taking me away from them."

"It's my pleasure; I couldn't stand to know that a child such as yourself was being put through that, especially since they had the means to give you more than nothing. I'm sure my family will be surprised, but happy that we could help out someone unfortunate."

Then a thought came into Harry's mind, one he didn't think to think before, one he didn't like the thought of, for it could mean the end of his brief sense of happiness and belonging. "What if they aren't? What happens to me if they don't want me? Do I have to go back to them?" He felt tears stinging the lids of his eyes. "Please, after you fired Uncle Vernon, they'd kill me; I'd rather be dead then go back to their torture."

Arthur put his hand on Harry's quavering shoulder. "You don't have to worry. I won't let that happen." Harry felt safe; he trusted Arthur and hoped that the other Weasleys would accept him as well. The carriage came to a halt. "Guess this is the moment of truth." Harry said.

"You have nothing to worry about." Arthur said. The door was opened by the cabbie. Harry followed Arthur out of the carriage. Staring at the grand entrance, Harry started to feel more nervous than before. "Come along Harry.

Within the home, Harry was met with a hustling and bustling family.

"Fred! George! Where did you put my books?"

"Ginny, have you seen Scabbers?"

"Percy, why would we have taken your books?"

"When would we have the chance, your nose is always in them."

"Mom, have you seen Ron's rat?"

"I'm sorry Ginny, but I haven't, it's probably just sleeping, you know how lazy he is." Molly Weasley yelled out to her daughter, as she entered into the foyer. "Oh Arthur, you're home, how was your dinner with the Dursleys?"

"Not too good, I had to fire Vernon." Arthur said.

"Oh, that's a shame, he was a hard worker, he was a bit gruff, but nonetheless, he did do a good deal for the company."

"Oh, I know, but, well, he's not a very good person." He moved to the side and produced Harry. "This is his nephew. I would have given Vernon the promotion, he did indeed deserve it, but I found young Harry in a cupboard, which was apparently his bedroom."

"Oh my goodness, that's terrible, he should be ashamed. Oh, you poor thing, and look at the rags they made you wear. Hold on dear." Molly rushed into the living room, "Ron, come here a moment." Molly returned to the foyer. "I'll let you go up with Ron, he has some clothes you can wear, and I'll tell him to draw a bath."

"You don't have to go through the trouble for me. I'll be fine without any more than…"

"No, no trouble at all. After what I'm sure you went through, you should have a nice hot bath, at the very least." Molly said. "Ron, get in here now."

"What do you want Mother, I'm finally beating George at chess and… you… stopped… me." Ron was caught off-guard by the sight of Harry. He had never seen anyone like him. He was caught in a trance. Shaking out of it, Ron asked, "What did you want?"

"I'd like you to meet Harry; he's the nephew of one of my former employees." Arthur began. "He's in need of a bath and some clothes, would you mind preparing both of those for him?"

Ron tried to gather himself. "Um, yes, sure, of course, okay, follow me, Harry." Ron, with what he realized was an amazing amount of confidence, held his hand out for Harry to take. When he did, Ron nearly melted, but to hide his attraction, he nearly tore Harry's arm from his socket as he dragged him up the stairs to his room, hoping to see what he can make of this new addition.

Looking at him, he didn't think Ron appeared very strong, but with a mix of what Harry misconstrued as annoyance and with his already frail frame, it didn't take much for Harry to be dragged up to the second story. At the top of the staircase, Ron pointed to a large wooden door. "That one's my room, go in, and in the closet find some pyjamas, I'll start your bath." He headed toward the bathroom as Harry turned towards Ron's bedroom. Harry was astonished at the size. It was larger than both his uncle's and cousin's bedrooms combined. He couldn't imagine why anybody would need this much space to sleep, but he supposed that the upper class lived much differently than the middle class. He crossed over to the closet where he opened the sliding doors to reveal a full wardrobe. Harry wasn't exactly sure which pair of pyjamas he should choose, but after a couple minutes of just random looking through Ron's clothes, he decided on a pair of plaid flannel pyjamas, just in time for Ron to come in and tell him the bath was ready. "Here," he said grabbing a robe from a hook near his bed, "You can put this on in here, than go to the bathroom."

"Okay, thank you Ron." Harry smiled, taking the robe. His hand lightly brushed against Ron's. Although Harry didn't think much of it, Ron began to blush.

"It's nothing." Harry began to remove his shirt, showing a small bit of his stomach and a tuft of hair around his a navel before he dropped his shirt down.

"Would it be okay, if you could give me some privacy?" Harry asked.

"It's only us guys, nothing to be ashamed of."

"Please Ron; I don't want anyone to see… I'm just really self-conscious. That's all. Just a moment alone."

"Sure, fine." Ron exited the room and shut the door behind him. Harry began to undress. After he took off his shirt, he traced his fingers across cuts and abrasions on his chest and silently sobbed, not just for the pain that he remembered, but also for how close he was to being discovered. He didn't want them to know. To have them look down on them more than he knew they already did. He removed the rest of his clothing and threw on the robe.

"Ok, I'm ready now." Harry said brightly, putting up a façade to cover his relapse into memory. "Where's the bathroom?"

"Through that door." He said, pointing to the end of the hallway. "There's soap and a loofah. You can dry off with some towels that are in the cabinet next to the sink." Ron explained. "Just pull the stopper out of the drain when you're done." Remembering what he had postponed as he was asked to join Harry, he descended the stairs and returned to his game with George.

Harry entered the bathroom and removed his robe. He looked into the reflective glass, almost shocked, he looked happy, more than he ever had before. He went to the bathtub and swirled his hand in the water. He recoiled at its heat. He was so used to ice-cold water, that he was almost confused at how good it felt. He removed his robe and sunk into the warmth. He grabbed the loofah and scrubbed his skin. He applied soap and scrubbed harder. His skin was colored a healthy pink as he grabbed the pitcher that stood next to the bathtub and used it to rinse the suds from his body. He pulled the plug and watched the water flow down through the pipe. He stepped out of the tub and grabbed a towel from within the sink-side cabinet. As he was drying off, the bathroom door flung open and Ginny walked in.

"Oh, dear!" She exclaimed, and then quickly spun around. "I had no idea that anyone was using the bathroom. She took a quick glance again. "Um, I know your nude and all and you probably feel awkward enough as it is, but who are you and _why_ are you nude."

"Um, I'm Harry." He answered, reaching for the robe so he can cover himself. "Your father is letting me stay with you and your family."

"Oh." She said. Taking one more glance, she saw that he was covered and turned to face him. "Well, I guess I'll introduce myself. I'm Ginny Weasley." She looked over the damp, half-naked boy standing in front of her, and she liked what she saw.

Ginny was privileged and always got what she wanted, whether it is the priceless paintings that adorned her room, the one of a kind couture, or the beautiful jewelry she wore. Now she wanted to have Harry, and since she never learned _no_, she won't take it for an answer.

She hopped up into a sitting position onto the counter. "So, Harry, what brings you here?"

"Your father didn't want me living with the people I had been, so he took me off their hands." Harry replied. He attempted to leave, but Ginny put her leg out to block his path.

"Where are you going?" Ginny asked. "I thought we could get to know each other."

"Couldn't I get dressed first?" Harry tried to get past her, but she was able to keep him confided in the room.

"I'm comfortable." Ginny stated. "So, why did my father decide to take you away?"

"I'd rather not say; they were just bad people."

"Come now, you'll have to live with me for who knows how long, you'll have to be able to trust me. I won't hurt you." Using the counter as balance, she wrapped her legs around Harry's waist, and pulled him in next to her. "Now, what happened that was so bad?"

"I can't tell you, I'm not ready yet."

"Trust me."

"I can't"

"I won't hurt you."

"I know; I just can't."

Ginny was becoming annoyed. "Tell me."

"No." This one simple word set her off.

"How. Dare. You. Nobody says no to Ginevra Molly Weasley." And in her rage she slapped him. Not hard, just enough to leave a light red mark. Harry stumbled a few steps back. Of all the beatings he got from his uncle. The belts, the hickory sticks, even once a hot poker, he never had been slapped. Ginny saw a glint in Harry's eye. It told her that what she had done had made Harry relive some of his past, and she was sorry. "Harry, I'm so sorry, please forgive me, I don't know what came over me. Here." Slowly, she made her way next to Harry. "I can make it better." With that, she placed a kiss on his cheek.

Harry never felt such a rush. The proximity of their bodies made him heat up. Where she had kissed him began to tingle, like the electricity that was producing the strange incandescence was dancing across his skin. "I-I've never done th-this before." Harry stuttered.

"Then just watch and learn." Ginny said seductively. She placed a kiss on his lips. Harry gasped and Ginny let her tongue entwine with his. One of her hands had pushed him against the wall while the other had undone the tie on the robe. Her hand ran up and down his chest, she made circles around his navel, and led her hand to his back where she traced his spine. The sheer touch of her hand had Harry asphyxiated. He broke the kiss, gasping for air. She smiled at him. "Time for lesson two." She ran her tongue down his skin. It tasted of cleanliness with an aftertaste of the lust that was sweating out of Harry's pores. She continued to make him gasp for breath, the sensations he had never felt before, and Ginny knew, oh did she know, exactly what to do, to make him beg for more.

There was one person, however, who was not so pleased by Ginny's eagerness to seduce a guy she had just met. Spying through the open door, Ron could see everything through the mirror and he was enraged; he wanted Harry for himself, and rightly so, he saw him first. Within the confines of his mind, Ron was working out a way to get to Harry. He left his sister, the slut, to her devices. He was going to make Harry his. Ron was sick and tired of his spoiled brat of a sister. He was going to make sure that, this time, Ginny did not get what she wanted.


	3. Secrets

Chapter 3

Secrets

For the next month it had been a rarely changed monotony, but Harry was happy. Wake up, eat a wonderful breakfast, and help Mrs. Weasley with some chores. Then he would eat a wonderful lunch and join the Weasley children in being tutored by a private tutor. Afterward, the day would die down with a nice family dinner. Harry was surprised at how fast the family seemed to adjust to his arrival, and how welcoming they were of him. Harry wasn't surprised when Percy first met him. Percy had had a condescending air about him. For a while, Harry was nothing more than a servant boy to him, and Percy was very disappointed to see him being treated like family. Eventually, Percy had decided to be nice, and Harry was content to know that the entire family enjoyed him being with them.

But one fateful evening, the tone changed.

It started as any other day would: Breakfast, then chores, next lunch, afterward schooling, but the dinner that night, changed everything.

Like every night, Arthur, Ginny, Fred, George, Percy, Ron and Harry sat around the large dining room table, waiting for dinner. The place setting was always immaculate, and the rich aromas from the kitchen always flooded into the dining room watering the mouths of those seated. Molly always put loving affection into the food she made, because she knew that if her family was fed, it was happy. And tonight was no different; in fact she was more attentive to detail because it was a special night.

"Dinner is served." Molly announced as she walked a cart out that carried a giant bowl of mashed potatoes, two smaller bowls of stuffing, a basket of freshly baked buns, a boat filled with thick brown gravy, and in the center, an enormous turkey, golden brown skin hiding its tender, succulent meat.

"My God mother," Fred started.

"You've really outdone yourself." George finished.

"You didn't have to go to these lengths for us, we're not celebrating anything." Arthur said.

"Of course I do and we are celebrating something. It's been one month since Harry here has joined our home and become a member of this family, and coincidentally, today is also his birthday. " Harry blushed.

It had dawned on them how fast one month went by. But the way that he had become so familiar, it had seemed he had been with them for so much longer. "Thank you, Mrs. Weasley; this is so thoughtful of you." Harry said. "How did you know it was my birthday though." He had forgotten since in the past there was never anything to celebrate.

Arthur and I have been looking into the records. We want to adopt you, Harry. Make you a full-fledged member of the family." Molly replied. "But we can discuss that later. For now," she said as she placed the turkey into the center of the table, "Let's eat." Arthur carved the turkey and put slices onto each plate. The sounds of dinner had begun as conversation started and flatware clung against the china as food was being moved from bowl to plate to mouth. Fred and George were discussing, or rather, complaining, about the work the tutor assigned. Percy and Ron were trading chess strategies, and Molly and Arthur were schmoozing about work.

Harry and Ginny didn't contribute much to the general noise-making. Harry was overjoyed with the idea of being adopted and savoring the delicious food that was prepared, and Ginny was happy running her hand up and down Harry's thigh. She then got an idea, and leaned over to whisper something into Harry's ear. "I think that I should give you a proper gift, after all, it's your birthday. Come to my room after everyone has gone to bed, I'll make it worth your while." Harry wasn't sure what she had in mind, but the sultry tone she had spoke to him in, made him gulp.

Ron had an animated way of talking. He liked using his hands in big gestures to describe what he was saying, so it never surprised anyone when he knocked something over while he was talking. That night he knocked over a glass. Luckily for him, it had been drained of its contents, so no mess was made. Molly would have been quite upset to have a stain in her expensive carpeting.

Nonetheless, he had knocked it to the ground. He got onto his hands and knees and crawled under the table to retrieve it. What he saw infuriated him. He couldn't stand the fact that Ginny and Harry had started a secret relationship. It was bad enough that they did what they did in secret, but to be doing so in front of everyone made Ron mad. With a start, and without a brain, Ron thrust upward, hitting his head on the table, causing a clattering of dishes.

"Ron, are you hurt?" Molly asked. No response. "Fred, George, help him." They reached under the table and helped their brother out from underneath.

"I'm fine." Ron said when he got to his feet. "It's just a bump."

"Well, better safe than sorry. Harry, could you be a dear and help Ron up to his room so he can rest. The rest of you can clear the table."

Ron wobbled a bit, so Harry put his arm around Ron's back, and placed Ron's arm around his own neck. "Thanks Harry." Ron said.

"You're welcome." He replied. Slowly but surely, they made it up the stairs and into Ron's room. Harry gently laid Ron onto his bed. "There, just rest a little bit, it sounded like that must have hurt a lot."

"Not as much as what made me do it." Ron mumbled.

"What do you mean?"

"Ginny was rubbing her hand across your thigh, and I got a little angry." Ron said. He had to pause and think of whether or not to continue. "With jealousy."

"You're jealous of me?" Harry asked, with a look of disgust.

"NO! Not of you, of her. She gets to be with you. But I…"

"You…"

"I love you, Harry. All the time we've spent together over the past month. You're all I ever think about anymore. And it's not fair that you're with her. She's just using you waiting for her next play thing, she doesn't love you; she's incapable of loving anyone but herself. She could never love you as I do."

"You love me? Ron, are you sure it's not just the bruising, you hit the table pretty hard."

"No, I know exactly what I'm saying."

"Are you sure?"

"I'll prove it." Ron grabbed hold of Harry's hand and pulled him down on top of him. Harry wasn't expecting that, so crashed hard on to Ron. Ron didn't notice any pain as he pulled Harry closer for a kiss. It was a simple kiss. Chastely placed on the lips, no tongue, no longer than 3 seconds, nonetheless, Harry felt more in this simple peck then in anything Ginny did to him. "Do you need more proof?" Ron asked.

With a sly smile, Harry replied, "Yes, I think I do." And he pulled Ron towards him, kissing him more tenderly than he had ever kissed Ginny. They continued kissing, exploring each other, until they were out of breath. Together, they grew tired, and with Harry's arms wrapped around Ron, they drifted off to sleep.

Ginny returned to the kitchen, having been a witness to what had just conspired upstairs between Ron and Harry. "Mother, is there anything more I can do for you?" She asked in a far away voice.

"No, the dining room is all cleared, and I've got Percy and Fred on dish detail."

"That's good. If you don't mind, I'll think I'll retire myself to my room."

"Okay dear, sweet dreams." Ginny walked off to her room, knowing that there would be no dreaming tonight. The cogs turned in her brain and she devised a way to make Harry wish he had never broken her heart.

_Come to my room after everyone has gone to bed, I'll make it worth your while._

The reminiscent sound of Ginny's voice woke him from his slumber. He blinked his eyes open and saw Ron sleeping in his arms. He looked so peaceful against the light of the moon. Remembering what he was supposed to be doing, Harry slowly and carefully removed Harry's arm from underneath Ron's body. "I'll be right back." He whispered. After placing a quick peck on Ron's cheek, he slowly crept out of the bedroom.

He turned on the hallway light. All the other doors were closed, and no sign of light came from the cracks in the door. He quietly walked towards Ginny's room. He didn't know what to do. After what he had just done with Ron, he no longer wanted to be with Ginny. He realized that not a single one of the encounters with Ginny had been of his own volition. Ginny did all the work, and Harry just took it. But with Ron, he had kissed him back; he didn't want to wait for Ron to kiss him again. Lost in his thoughts, he hadn't realized that his hand was turning Ginny's doorknob. He stopped himself before going in. _I'll talk to her in the morning; it'll be better that way._ He let the knob go with a click and returned to Ron's bed; hoping things would work out the next day.

Breakfast the next morning was normal, except for the flirting glances that Ron and Harry had kept giving each other, and the absence of Ginny. "Ginny went to bed early last night." Molly stated. "You'd think she would be up by now. Ron go get your sister."

Ron ran up the stairs to his sister's bedroom. He opened the door, and was shocked to see what he saw. He looked around, found something that looked important, and exited the room. He examined what he took, and then ran down to get Harry. He didn't want to be seen by anyone but Harry, so he stood in the doorway and beckoned Harry with his hand. "Look at this." He said, thrusting the object into Harry's hand.

"Oh my god." Harry exclaimed. "So she…"

"Yes."

"Because of…"

"Yes. Harry we have to go; to run away."

"Why?"

"It'll be for the best. Throw that in the fire. I'll quick grab some essentials. We have to leave now."

"I can't. This family is all I have."

"Harry, I'm not going without you, but if they find out, we're in unimaginable trouble. Please, I'm doing what's best for _us._" Ron took hold of Harry's hand. "Have faith in me. We'll be fine."

He looked down at their intertwined hands, and then into his eyes, and nodded. "Ok, I'll go with you. Hurry up; we can leave without anyone noticing soon. Should I leave a note?"

"Yes, but put it in the chess board. Nobody plays until around dusk, so by then we'll be long gone." Ron said. He bounded up the stairs and hurriedly grabbed essentials they may need. He rushed back down the stairs. "Here's a coat." Ron said as he handed it to him. "Ready?"

"As I'll ever be." He opened the large front doors quietly. Ron left first. Harry stayed for a moment longer and was saddened by the loss of the only family he'd had since he was orphaned. Quietly, he closed the door behind him, and walked away; preparing himself for his new life with the person he loved.

* * *

Ginny Weasley never intended to kill herself. She thought she had planned it all out perfectly. The note written to Harry, explaining how much she had loved him and how she needed him. She hoped it would bring him crawling back. Beside the letter was a pair of scissors. She had chosen the perfect scarf, strong enough to support her, but easy enough to cut.

She tied the noose to the crisscrossing lattice structure that decorated her ceiling. She carefully placed the loop around her neck, and waited for the time to kick out the chair that she stood on so Harry could save her life.

It had been about two hours of waiting, when Ginny finally heard a noise. She prepared herself. As her doorknob turned, she quickly kicked the chair out from under her. However, much to her dismay, the door shut before Harry entered. She tried to scream for help, but no sound came out. She tried to pull herself up, to grab the lattice above her, but she didn't have the strength. She tried swaying back and forth, hoping to break the noose or to grab hold of something to support her, but she couldn't grab hold of anything. As she was quickly losing consciousness, she used all her strength to commit one last act. She pulled the inkwell and quill from her dress pocket, and hastily wrote on her arm: Blame Harry. As her energy left her, the quill and inkwell dropped to the ground, the glass shattered into hundreds of tiny pieces as it hit the hardwood floor. By the time that Ron came into her room the next morning, she was dead.

Molly Weasley had just finished clearly the breakfast table. She prepared a plate for her daughter and was ready to take it up to her room; she assumed that her daughter was coming down with something because of her early bedtime the previous night and that she hadn't woken up yet. But before she could tend to her daughter, there was a loud knock at the door. "Coming. Just a moment." Molly called out. She set the plate on the counter and walked to the door. "What the hell are you doing here?" She asked the man standing in the doorway.

"Where is my nephew?" Vernon Dursley asked.

"You are not taking him back with you. He belongs in a loving home."

"Tell me where he is and I won't inform the police you kidnapped him."

"We did no such thing; Arthur said you were more than happy to be rid of him."

"I don't care, you're husband destroyed my family when he fired me. He spread around those _lies_ about how poorly I treated Harry. Now nobody will hire me. I'm just here to return the favor. Now tell me where he is."

"No." Molly said as she tried to close the door on Vernon. He had a few hundred pounds on her, and easily knocked her to the ground.

"Harry! Get in here now. Boy! This is your uncle, come here now!" Vernon shouted. When nothing happened he ascended the staircase.

"Vernon, get back down here." Molly called as she got to her feet. She ran up to the second floor, just as Vernon began opening the door to her daughter's room. "Stay out of there, that's my daughter's room and she isn't feeling well." Vernon stopped paying attention after he opened the door.

"Bloody hell." Was all Vernon could muster. He closed the door and turned toward Molly, his face as pale as a ghost.

"What?" Molly said, scared of what was in Ginny's room. She walked toward the door, and slowly pushed it open again. Molly screamed at the top of her lungs. "Oh my god, Ginny what did you do? Vernon, help me get her down. Molly propped the chair up and grabbed the scissors. She instructed Vernon to catch her as she cut the noose. They laid her down onto her bed. "I have to call for help."

"Molly there's no use, she's dead." He looked down at her. "Although, now I think you'll be more willing to get rid of Harry." He told her, pointing to her arm.

"Oh no, I can't believe she killed herself over a boy. HARRY!" Molly screeched. She ran to Ron's room and opened the door with such force that it nearly fell off its hinges. "HARRY! Where are you?" She quickly ran throughout the house, but couldn't find him anywhere. She went back to the second floor. "I don't know where he is." She told Vernon. "Maybe one of my kids does." She opened the door to Fred and George's room. "Oh good Lord!" Molly yelled in disgusted shock. She had just walked in on them, naked, sweating, in the throes of passion. She slammed the door behind her and yelled into the room. "You two, get dressed, NOW!"

At that point, Percy emerged from his room. "Why are you yelling?"

"Why am I yelling?" She looked at Percy as if he asked a question that had such an obvious answer. "Vernon Dursley is here to take Harry away, but I can't find him or Ron, and apparently they're responsible for Ginny's suicide. All the while you're brothers are buggering in the next room."

"Oh my god, Ginny's dead?" Percy said as he ran into his sister's room.

"Ginny's what? Fred asked as he came out of his room, followed shortly after by George.

"She's dead." Percy answered. "I'm going to go look for a suicide note or something that says where Ron and Harry are." He descended the stairs and went into the living room.

"Well this was fun." Vernon said, sardonically. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go ruin your family name." He continued after looking around, "More so."

"What?" Molly looked dismayed. "What are you going to do?"

"Tell the town the news of the Weasley family. Soon everyone will know exactly who you people are. You kidnapped my nephew, who ran away with your son, which caused your daughter to commit suicide. Not to mention the incestuous relationship between your sons. The police will be at your door by dinner-time." He started to walk down the stairs.

"No, you can't do this to us." Molly begged. When Vernon continued down the stairs she tried to bargain with him. "What if we pay you off?" This caught Vernon's ear, he went back up the stairs. "Yes, yes, that's exactly what we'll do." At that moment, something inside Molly snapped. "See this vase. It's very expensive. You could sell it for a lot of money. If I give you this, will you keep quiet?"

"How much money are we talking about?"

"£100,000, would that be enough?"

"I think that would be fine."

"Well then, here you go." And with that, she smashed the vase over Vernon's head. He toppled down the stairs. The sounds of cracking limbs could be heard during his descent. "Nobody tries to hurt my family and gets away with it. Boys, go grab the shovels and put Mr. Dursley in the back with the others." The boys did as they were told, they were used to it by now, and this wasn't the first time Molly had killed to keep her family intact. Not that there was much left to keep intact anymore.

"Mother, look." He said, holding up two notes, one slightly charred.

"What do they say?"

"Ginny's note says she found Harry and Ron with each other and couldn't live knowing that her love loved someone else. Harry and Ron's note says they know that Ginny knew about them, which is why she killed herself, so they ran away. They didn't say where they were going."

For the first time that day, Molly wept. Her family was falling apart and she didn't know what to do. "Oh God, what did I do wrong? I was a good mother. I made sure my kids were happy. They had everything they could want. But now everything's so messed up. Bill's in jail for embezzling from his bank, Charlie's in an asylum for thinking dragons existed. Fred and George are having sex. Ron's gone and Ginny's dead. Percy, you know, you're my only normal son. You haven't done anything to hurt this family."

"Actually…" Percy started, when a knock came at the door. "…I have."

"Scotland Yard, open up."

"Percy, you didn't."

"I'm sorry, but enough is enough."

"You are an ungrateful little wretch." She screamed as she hurled herself at Percy. "You ruined this family." The door was kicked down as she began throttling Percy. Molly was forced off her son by a policeman.

"What's going on?" George asked. Both he and Fred had just turned up in the foyer, covered with dirt, still carrying their shovels.

"Fred, George, please escort the police to where mother has been telling you to bury the bodies." Percy said.

"Bodies?" One policeman asked.

"Yes, there should be six back there. There was Harry's uncle, Ginny, Fred, and George's mother, I mean, real mother, as well as mine and Ron's real parents and Bill and Charlie's real parents."

"Percy, I cared for you better then that wretched woman ever could, how could you betray me like this?"

"You're a killer, Molly." Molly was shocked to hear Percy saying her name. "If it weren't for you, Bill and Charlie wouldn't be locked up, Ron wouldn't be on the streets, and Ginny wouldn't be dead. You're the only one to blame for how messed up we are."

"Molly Weasley, you're under arrest for murder, kidnapping, and child endangerment, come with us."

"I loved you all, why did you do this."

"It wasn't enough."

As Molly was being forced into the paddy wagon, a policeman asked a couple follow up questions. "Did Arthur Weasley have anything to do with the murders?"

"No." Percy lied. "It was entirely my mother's, I mean, Molly's fault; she did all the kidnapping, and all the follow up murdering. Arthur had nothing to do with any of it."

"Thank you, young man. These people have been missing for sometime now, I'm glad we can finally close the book on these cases."

"You're welcome." Percy said. "Now if you will, I think I need to be with my brothers, we just suffered the loss of our sister."

"My condolences." The policeman said as he left.

George and Fred were back in the room. "Now what?" They asked in unison.

Percy looked at Fred, and then at George, and then to the light coming from Ginny's room.

"You two stay here. Arthur is your father. He's family, real family. I love you both, Ginny and Arthur as well, but Ron is my flesh and blood. I'm going to go look for him."

"So we'll just wait for our father to come home. We'll have to tell him what happened. Fred, you go clean up Ginny. I'll go clean up the mess we made. Percy, are you going to be leaving right away."

"Yes, before it's too late and I lose him forever." Percy replied.

George pulled Percy in for a hug. "We'll miss you."

"If, no when, you find Ron, don't think we won't mind a visit." Fred added.

"Of course, we'll come back one day." Percy promised. One half hour later, the dirt was cleared from the foyer, Ginny was bathed and was lying in her bed, dressed in a white gown, and Percy had packed what he could and was waiting at the door. He breathed a sigh, after shouting goodbye to what he had known to be his family, and putting a letter on the table next to the door, Percy left, in search of what was left of his family.


	4. Sanctuary

It had been a few hours since they had ran away from the Weasley mansion. The boys were hungry, tired, and had no place to go. Although Harry was expecting this, and even saw it as an improvement of how he had been treated in the Dursley household, Ron was used to the good life, and was not sure if he could live like this.

"Harry, wait, can we take a break?" Ron asked, sitting down on the grass.

"C'mon Ron, we need to keep moving. The city is still a couple kilometers from here. I know that we've been walking for a while, but it'll be easier once we're in the city, we can get some food, and find a place to sleep." Harry said. He grabbed Ron's hand and pulled him upright. "The sooner we start again, the sooner we'll finish.

"Fine, let's go then." Ron resigned. They walked in silence along a dirt road. The Weasleys lived far from the city, so Harry and Ron were forced to walk many kilometers to reach their destination.

When they finally reached the city, they were completely worn out. "Where are we supposed to stay?" Ron asked. "We may have enough money to check-in to a hotel for the night."

"But we'd be out on the streets by tomorrow. Maybe we should just grab some food and find some alleyway to sleep in." Harry cut in.

"We'll have to sleep where? No, we are not sleeping in the streets." Ron said.

"Where else do you suppose we sleep? Harry asked. "I know that it isn't luxurious, but it's what we signed up for when we ran away."

"I'm starting to think that wasn't the best decision I've ever made." Ron sighed.

"It won't be that bad. Many kids like us live on the streets, or that's what I have inferred from all the Dickensian literature I read at the Dursleys. I'm sure we'll survive. We have some money, we'll be able to eat; we have clothes, so we won't freeze to death." He put his arm around Ron's neck. "And we have each other. I think we'll be fine."

Ron nodded. "You're right, we'll be just fine. Now, I say we get something to eat. I'm starving." He reached into his pocket, and grabbed the money that he had. "I have about 50 pounds I took from my parents room." He replaced it into his pocket. "Let's go to the market and buy some food."

They were unaware of the young boy who had snuck up behind them. He was practicing stealth and had attempted to steal the money that Ron had in his pocket. But not before Harry noticed. "What the hell are you doing?" He asked, turning to the young boy.

"Umm, uhh, I'm…" He didn't finish his stuttering before he ran off. Harry started running after him.

"Hey, get back here." Harry yelled.

"Harry, let it go." Ron said.

"No, he shouldn't get away with trying to steal from us. Plus, he may be able to lead us to a place to stay."

"Fine, before he gets away then." They weaved in and out of the crowd. They weren't far behind him. He turned into an alley. They followed him into it, but they were met with a large wall. "Where did he go?"

"I don't know. He's way too small to climb this wall. Let's look around, maybe there's a hole or something." They searched inside of trash cans, underneath boxes and behind crates, but nothing was there. I don't understand how he could've escaped." Harry sighed as he leaned against a wall. Suddenly, he fell backwards, the brick wall acting as a door. "Ow. I could have sworn this was a wall."

"Oh my god, Harry, look at this." Ron said. Harry and Ron had stumbled across a room. Clothes were strewn everywhere and a giant sheet acted as a door. "Should we go in?"

"Why not?" Harry asked, unsure himself. He led Ron through the impromptu door. Past the sheet, they found a room full of boys. Some older, some younger, and some the same age as them, but there must have been at least thirty, all packed within it.

"Who are you?" One of the boys asked them. At the inquiry, all heads turned towards them. The little boy who tried to steal from them had come out of the cluster.

"I tried to steal from them; they came here to hurt me." He said. Some of the larger boys started advancing towards Harry and Ron.

"What? No, we just wanted to ask him if he could help us. We needed a place to stay. We ran from home, so we had to find somewhere to sleep." Harry explained. He wasn't sure if the boys would kick them out or accept them. "We figured a pickpocket would have to find some place to sleep too."

"So can we stay with you guys?" Ron asked meekly.

"Maybe. It's not up to us though." Another boy said. He had platinum blond hair and a pallid face. He was scrawny but he seemed to hold a lot of the authority in the group. "Come with me." He said. He led them down a hallway. "By the way, the name's Artful Draco, most of the guys just call me Draco." At the end of the hall, there was a door. He knocked on the door. "Sir, it is Artful, I have some more boys that need a place to stay, and want to know if they can.

"Come in." A voice from within said. Draco opened the door. Twinkling eyes greeted the three of them. "Hello boys. What can I do for you?" Albus Dumbledore asked them.

"We needed a place to stay." Ron said. "And we followed some little kid here."

"Dennis tried to steal from them, but didn't return with anything." Draco explained.

"Why is it that you are here, if you have something that my boys would find to be worth stealing."

"It's a long story." Harry explained. He wasn't sure how comfortable he was with letting two complete strangers know personal details about his and Ron's reasons for abandoning a perfectly happy life.

"Well, I don't suppose you have anywhere else to be, so let's hear it. Dumbledore said.

Ron started, "To make a long story short, we caused the suicide of my sister because she found me and him, her boyfriend, making out. We had to run away because we didn't want to face the consequences. Is that enough of an explanation?"

"I think that will suffice." Dumbledore said. "You may stay. Artful, show them your room, there's not nearly enough space in the main room, so they'll be sleeping with you."

Draco had looked over Ron and Harry. "I guess that'll will be okay. Tomorrow, we'll get you started on pickpocketing. We need to eat to live, and so we have to steal. It's not that hard, I'm sure you two will get the hang of it quick."

"Thank you, so much, umm…"

"Call me Dumbledore."

"Okay then, thank you Dumbledore, we are very gracious for letting us stay with you." Ron said. Harry nodded his head in agreement.

"Come on, let's get you unpacked and introduce you to the others." Draco said.

"Thanks again, Dumbledore." Harry said. "Will we be okay here?" Harry whispered into Ron's ear.

"I think so." Ron replied. "We can only wait and see."

"Are you coming?" Draco asked.

"Yeah," They said in unison; Draco led them off. Harry and Ron walked hand in hand. Ron hoped that he'd be able to cope with a life sans luxury. Harry hoped that he wouldn't screw up this opportunity to start a new life.

"Follow me." Draco said. "We can put your bag in my room, and then I'll introduce you to the others."

"What about food?" Ron asked. He hadn't eaten since he had left his home, and it was nearly sundown. "I'm starving."

"I'm sure the boys will be willing to share." Draco said. "Okay, through this sheet, this is our room." Past the makeshift door was a small room, completely bare except for a giant mattress that nearly spanned the room and a chest. "Just put your stuff in the corner." Draco said.

He led the two boys back to the main living area and proceeded to introduce them to the others. "Hey guys. Hey guys." Draco attempted to get their attention, but failed to be heard over the loud hum of conversation. At that moment, Draco let out a shrill whistle, effectively diverting the focus to himself. "I'd like you all to meet Ron and Harry." The group gave out their welcomes to the two boys.

"Hi everybody." Ron said. "Thanks for having us." Harry nodded his head in agreement. He was a bit wary of all these new people. He had never known anybody outside of the Dursley and Weasley household, and now he was living with a large assortment of complete strangers.

"The newcomers are hungry. Neville, is there any food left?" Draco asked.

A round faced boy, around the same age as Ron and Harry appeared from within the crowd. "There isn't much, after we finished eating, but there should be enough for the two of you." He replied.

"Well, then bring it to them." As Neville prepared the food for Harry and Ron, the others started to introduce themselves to the two. Each one told them there name, Ron shook their hands, Harry just stood there and smiled. He wasn't keen on contact with these people who he knew nothing about.

"Ron? Ron Weasley? Is that you?" One of the boys asked him.

"Yes, who wants to know?" Ron asked.

A thin, black teenager pulled him in for a hug. "Do you remember me? Lee Jordan, I was a friend of George and Fred."

"Oh my god. Lee, what are you doing here?" Ron asked, returning the hug. Harry wasn't sure why, but he felt jealous of Lee. He knew that they obviously knew each other already, but it still made him feel pangs of jealousy to see Lee touching Ron. Or maybe he was jealous of Ron, for already knowing somebody here.

"My family couldn't afford me, so I was sent to a workhouse. I managed to escape that hellish prison, and then I wound up here." Lee explained. "What about you, what's your story?"

"We ran away from home. That's basically it." Ron replied. Harry was relieved that Ron hadn't told him everything, he didn't know how the others would react, and he didn't want to repel anyone before he got a chance to know them.

"Soup's on." Draco called out. Not that there was any soup, it was more of a cold slop, but Harry and Ron were grateful for it. It wasn't the home-cooked meal that Ron was accustomed to, but it was sustaining.

:"Thanks for the food. It was nice meeting you all, but right now, Harry and I are dead tired, and just want to go to sleep." The living area rang out there goodnights to there new housemates and Harry and Ron retired to Draco's room. "Goodnight everyone." Ron called out before going through the curtain. After closing the curtain, Ron turned to Harry and asked, "Is something wrong?"

"No, of course not, why do you ask?" Harry said as he sat down on the mattress and began to take off his shoes.

Ron sat next to Harry and began to undress as well. "You were so quiet. You hadn't said a word after we left Dumbledore's room."

"I'm just a little on edge; I'm not good at meeting new people, that's all." He had stripped down to his skivvies, as had Ron, and he went over to the bag they had brought. "Did you only pack one pair of pyjamas?"

"Yeah, but you can wear them." Ron said.

"Here, you take the shirt, I'll take the bottoms." He threw the pyjama shirt at Ron. After putting on the pants, he sat down next to Ron, "I'll try and be outgoing, it just takes me a little time to warm up to people."

"Didn't take you long to warm up to Ginny." Ron mumbled under his breath.

"What?" Harry asked.

"Oh, nothing." Ron said.

"No, I heard you. I can't believe you. You're still jealous that she seduced me first. Well, you don't have to worry about her anymore. She's dead." Harry yelled to the point where he was out of breath.

"I know, and I don't mean to be jealous of her, I just don't want to have to deal with what she dealt with."

"You think I'm going to leave you?"

"Well, you don't have the best track record." As it came out of his mouth, Ron regretted saying that. "I mean…"

"So I'm just some whore, who's never satisfied? We're in this shit because I left her for you. You think I'll risk that again? Maybe I should never have kissed you back."

"Harry, you don't mean that, do you?" Ron was worried that he'd lose Harry, and that thought alone terrified him to the point of tears.

"Right now, I don't know. Maybe anger is clouding my judgment. Let's just go to sleep, _maybe_ we can talk in the morning." Harry grabbed some blanket and curled up on the mattress. Ron tried to get close to Harry, but he stopped him. "I need space right now to think. I would appreciate it if you slept on the other side of the mattress."

"Please Harry; I don't want to go to sleep not knowing about where we stand. Please can we just talk about this now?"

"No, Ron, I don't want to now. I said wait until morning."

"But Harry…"

"Ron, if you're worried about _us_, then leave _us_ alone until morning. I'm still pissed off at you; maybe it won't be as bad after I sleep on it. But you could say something stupid, as you're prone to, and nothing will stop me from going back out there and getting to know Draco better. I saw him eyeballing me earlier; I think he would enjoy my presence. We'll talk in the morning. Goodnight." Harry turned over to face away from Ron.

Ron crawled over to the other side of the mattress. "Goodnight Harry." He said. Without knowing why, he decided to add, "I love you." When he received no response, he curled up under a blanket, into a ball, and sobbed himself to sleep.

Draco had been standing just outside the bedroom door during the fight. He had been concerned when he heard yelling, but now he was elated to know that the couple's happiness was on the rocks. A smile danced on his lips. There was a reason Dumbledore called him 'Artful.' He could take any situation and craft it to his own benefit. As Draco bid goodnight to his chums. He entered his room.

He got into the bed and crawled near Ron. "You won't have him for long." He taunted Ron as the redhead slept. He stole a glance at Harry, who had rolled over in his sleep. Draco thought he looked beautiful sleeping in the light that flooded into the room. "He'll belong to me soon. The artist is ready to repaint this picture."


	5. Jealousy

"Harry, wake up." Ginny said. She was lying next to him, her finger twirling around his chest. "It's 9 o'clock in the morning, don't you want breakfast." She sat up on the bed, draping a sheet across herself, concealing her naked body, and revealing Harry's. "I see you're _up_ bright and early." Ginny chuckled. "I think we can do something about that.

"Not now Ron." Harry mumbled, turning his back to Ginny. He grabbed a blanket and covered himself up, falling back to sleep.

"What did you say?" Ginny seethed. "Harry, wake up!" She grabbed her pillow and started batting Harry with it. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Ron, stop it." He sprung up. "What the hell are you doing, I'm still mad at you for last night?" He turned to look at the person in his bed. "Oh my God, Ginny!" This surprise caused him to jump back and fall out of the bed. "Ow." He muttered.

"Harry, get back in this bed." Ginny demanded. "Why did you call me Ron?" Ginny crossed her arms across her chest as she waited for Harry's response.

Harry slowly worked his way back up to the bed. "Ginny, you're alive?"

"Of course I'm alive, what are you talking about?" Ginny gave him a queer look.

"Maybe it was all a dream." Harry spoke inwardly. He was torn. The dream seemed so real. He was so in love with Ron, and he ended it in such an awful way. Now that he looked back on it, it was so stupid. But the point was moot. Ginny was still here, she was fully alive.

"So why did you call me Ron?" Ginny asked again, a glimpse of ferocity flashed in her eyes.

"I don't know." Harry said, trying to think of a good lie. "Maybe it was my dream. He was in it. I'm sure I was still asleep. When you were hitting me, I may have been thinking that it was him."

Ginny accepted his answer. "Okay, now where were we?" She had straddled Harry's hips and began to kiss his neck. Slowly she moved down lower.

"Wait, Ginny, we have to stop, we can't do this now, what if someone comes in, let's just pick up where we left off tonight." Harry slipped out form under her and grabbed his robe. "I'll go get dressed, meet me downstairs."

"Okay, fine, I'll meet you downstairs then." Ginny said dejectedly.

Harry entered the hallway and headed towards Ron's room; he grabbed the doorknob and then stopped. The dream he had, it had been so real, he knew that somewhere inside him that dream expressed real feelings. He opened the door and encountered something he would never have imagined. Ron was moaning sensually as he bucked his hips against Lee Jordan. "Ahh, Lee, don't stop."

"Ron?!" Harry exclaimed.

"Oh, Harry, shit." Ron got off of Lee and covered up, "What are you doing here?"

"We share this room; I didn't know I wasn't supposed to come in."

"Don't you remember what I told you last night? Ron asked, pushing Harry out into the hallway. "I was entertaining last night, so you were going to sleep with Ginny tonight."

"But, wait, you're okay with me being with Ginny?" Harry asked.

Ron looked over his shoulder at his recent encounter. "Lee, I'll be right back." He went out into the hall with Harry. Under his breath, so Lee couldn't hear him. "Of course I'm not; I'm in love with you. But you told me that we won't work, so I had to move on. I didn't want to, but then the twin's friend Lee, the one who…"

"Whose name you moaned, yeah I figured out who he is." Harry said.

"Right, so anyway, you told me no. So, I've been having meaningless flings for the last month or so. It's not enough though." Ron said. Behind him Lee was standing there, holding a sheet at his waist, his eyes were misty.

"It was meaningless?" Lee asked. He rushed back into the room and quickly dressed himself. He rushed past Ron and said "I never want to speak to you again."

"Wait, Lee, I'm sorry." Ron cried out. "I didn't mean it." He was at the top of the stairs. "Great, I did like him. Now, what do I do?"

"I'm still here." Harry said. "I don't know what I was thinking when I said I didn't want to be with you. Of course I do." He walked over to Ron and embraced him. They pulled out of it and looked into each other's eyes. "I love you, Ron, and I'm sorry." He put his hand behind Ron's head and he crashed his lips against Ron's.

"How dare you." Ginny said, having witnessed their kiss.

"Ginny, it's not what you think." Harry said.

"You mean you didn't just have your tongue down my brother's throat?" Ginny screamed. "You will pay for this."

"Ginny, you don't have to be so jealous." Ron said. "He loves me more than you, find somebody else."

"I'm being too jealous?" Ginny asked. "You haven't seen anything yet." She gave a cry as she charged Ron. He was sent flying down the stairs and landed on his neck, making a resounding snap. "How's that for jealousy."

"Oh my god, you're insane." Harry yelled.

"You're mine now, nothing can come between us." Ginny said, her face contorted into a maniacal smile.

"Get away from me, you crazy bitch." Harry said. He rushed down the stairs to get away from Ginny, but tripped over a stair and was hurtling toward Ron. He was near impact when he woke up.

In a cold sweat, Harry arose from his nightmare. The moon was still out and in its glow he could make out Draco and Ron's figure. He remembered the fight that he and Ron had before they had gone to sleep. He knew that he was in the wrong. His dream made him realize the type of person Ginny had been, and he could see how hard it would have been to be in his position.

Resigning to the fact that he was a complete idiot, he crawled over to the other side of the mattress and gently tried to wake Ron up. "Ron, wake up."

Ron stirred about and faced Harry. "What? I thought we weren't speaking." Ron said. "Are you here to yell at me some more?" He asked.

"No." Harry looked dejected, "I want to say that I'm sorry. I overreacted."

"I know." He wrapped his arms around Harry. "It's okay; I shouldn't have said what I did. We both were stupid, but what matters now is we're ready to start anew." He gently kissed Harry and then said, "Let's get some sleep; we have to be ready to start the life of a vagrant in the morning."

Harry turned Ron over and wrapped his arms around his love, pressing him into the crook of his own body. "I love you." He pressed his lips against Ron's neck and like this, they both fell asleep, peaceful dreams appearing as they slept.

The sunlight peeked through the makeshift room shared by Ron, Harry, and Draco. The bright light caused Draco to blink his eyes and wake up to begin his day. He rubbed his eyes open and wiped away the gunk that had accumulated overnight.

He looked over to where Harry had gone to sleep the night before and found nobody there. At first, he assumed that Harry had already awoken, but after he looked over to Ron's side of the bed, he saw Harry too, cuddling against him; the two fit together like puzzle pieces.

Draco scoffed and rolled his eyes at the reconciled pair; he was disappointed, but he knew there was more than one way to skin a cat. While glowering at Ron, he crawled over to the two and woke them up. "Uhhh, wake me up later." Ron groaned, turning over in his sleep. Harry was less vocal, but made no effort to wake up. Draco tried again, again to no avail. Once more, he tried, with a little more effort. He shook Harry, and then hit Ron over the head. "Ow, what the hell was that for?" Ron asked, sitting up and rubbing the spot where he was attacked.

"Well, all my other attempts didn't work." Draco said. "I didn't want to hit you; I just didn't know what else to do." That was a lie, but Ron didn't need to know that. "Food should be ready soon, I suggest you hurry, it's every man for himself." Draco said, exiting the room through the suspended sheet.

"Come on, let's eat." Ron said, getting up and dressing himself in his only pair of clothes.

"Wait, I forgive you, and I know I overreacted so I'm sorry too, but we just fought because of a dead girl, shouldn't we talk about it?" Harry asked, sitting up.

"But I'm hungry; can't we talk about it later?" Ron whined. Then from his stomach came a growl. "See, we won't be able to talk if that keeps interrupting us."

"Fine," Harry resigned. "We can talk after breakfast." Harry followed Ron out of the room, wishing that they had talked then. In the main room, the gang of boys was busy eating and carrying on conversations. Ron and Harry grabbed a bowl and dished a helping of delicious gruel. "Well," Harry started; staring at the disgusting mix of God knows what that was in his bowl. "It's still better then what I was fed at the Dursley's."

"What the hell is it? It looks as if somebody tried to eat vomit, but threw it back up." Ron said, disgusted that he went from eating real food to this stone gray mash.

"We have to make do with what we have; we wanted to run from the consequences of driving Ginny to suicide, and this is one of the consequences of running from those consequences." Harry said. He started eating it. It was a lot better tasting than it looked, but still was nothing compared to the food he had become accustomed to at the Weasley mansion.

"Do you guys eat this all the time?" Ron asked one of the boys that passed them. He nodded his head and went on his way.

"Ron, just eat it." Harry insisted, taking another spoonful. "It's not that bad once you get used to it."

"Who wants to get used to eating this? Where's Draco, I want to ask him why there isn't real food." Ron started looking around the room, but there was no sign of the pale, platinum blond boy. "Maybe he's in Dumbledore's room. Here, take my so-called food, I'm not going to eat it." Ron handed the bowl over to Harry, and then proceeded to maneuver around the others to get to Dumbledore's room. As he approached the door, he smelled a delicious aroma diffusing down the hall from Dumbledore's room. "I can't believe he's holding out on us."

He got to the door and opened it a crack, expecting to see Draco and Dumbledore sharing a meal. To his astonishment, he found Draco on top of Dumbledore, rocking his hips back and forth. Ron was in disbelief at what he saw. Draco looked up for a moment, and let out a loud gasp, this time, it wasn't because of the sex. Ron realized that Draco had seen him, and fled back down the hall. He found Harry and quickly gulped down the gruel.

"Wow, you have no qualms now, do you?" Harry asked.

"No, I don't. I've seen what you have to do to get real food." Ron replied, licking the bowl clean.

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know if the others know, so let's go to our room." Ron grabbed Harry's arm and dragged him away from the great room. In their room, Ron explained, "So I went to Dumbledore's room, to find Draco. I found him. He was having sex with Dumbledore."

"What!? Are you sure, couldn't he have been giving him CPR, maybe he had a heart attack."

"There was mouth-to-mouth, but it wasn't because he was in trouble. And besides, they were both naked." Ron said.

"Oh, wow, so Draco's a trollop that sleeps with Dumbledore for food."

"It appears that way." At that moment, Draco came through the doorway. "Well, speak of the devil."

"I can explain." Draco said.

"You sleep with an old man for food." Ron said. "What more could you possibly say."

"He could love him, Ron, maybe they're together."

"No, that's not it. I don't love him, he's like a father." Draco said.

"You'd sleep with your father?" Ron asked.

"NO! I do it, because Dumbledore loves me. I know he does. I let him because at any time…"

"He could die?" Harry finished.

"No, well yes, he's happy this way, and he treats me well. Before I came here, I had a really good life. My father was an important business man. But he did business with the wrong person, and he was killed. We lost everything. And you want to hear about a whore, my mother abandoned me and went with the man who killed her husband. Dumbledore is a good person for taking care of me, and I just happen to repay him by pretending to be in love with him."

"Wow, I'm sorry about your dad and all." Harry said. "But are you sure leading Dumbledore on is right?"

"I don't know." Draco replied. Just then, Neville came through the sheet.

"You guys, it's time to get to work." He said.

"Work, what work?" Ron asked.

"Come on, I'll explain later." Draco said.

In the main room, the group of boys was sitting as Dumbledore stood before them. Ron couldn't make eye contact with Dumbledore without blushing, so he kept his head down. "Ron and Harry, just the people we need to see." Dumbledore said. "It's time to get to work."

"Which would be?" Harry asked. He was shy, but he realized that there was no way that Ron would be ready to address him.

"We're wizards." Dumbledore stated. The boys smiled, but Ron and Harry looked at each other, confused. "I see you don't understand. We're not wizards like the ones you read in silly little children's stories. There is not a Merlin, Flamel, or Grindelwald in the group. But we are wizards, wizards of the street. We have been trained in the art of magic. Not spells or fancy wand waving, but the real magic. Illusions and sleights of hand are real magic. We can mystify any audience, and once we do, we make their belongings _disappear_." He said the last word with a flourish.

"So we're pickpockets." Harry asked.

"You make it sound so bland, my boy." Dumbledore chuckled. "We are skilled magicians. Sure, some may consider it simply pickpocketing, but it is an art form."

"Is it hard?"

"Not if you're good at it." Draco said. "Some of us aren't very good, but others, like myself, have a knack for this sleight of hand. I bet you didn't even notice that I took this kerchief from your pocket." Draco waved the cloth in front of Harry's face and lo and behold, Harry couldn't find it in his pants.

"How did you?"

"I have very good hands." Draco said suggestively, causing Ron to frown.

"Yeah, just ask Dumbledore." Ron whispered so only Harry and Draco could hear.

Draco glared at Ron. He replaced the hankie into Harry's pocket, taking a moment to grope his thigh. He then turned to Ron. He circled once around , and held up the pound notes that he had in his pocket. "Look at this, they've been holding out on us. This is quite a bit of money. To think, we could've had real food had Ron shared this with the rest of us." The boys all glared at Ron this time. "But we can let it slide, this time. Just don't let it happen again; it's quite selfish of you to not share."

"Like you should say anything about sharing, what about…" Ron started, but was then muffled by Harry's hand.

"Okay everyone, off to work. With the addition of Ron's money, we should have some good food tonight." Dumbledore said. The boys cheered at the thought of not eating gruel, and hurried out to get some more money to add to the pot. Only Ron, Harry, Draco, and Dumbledore were left. "I hope that you give them some tips, Artful, I know that if they should learn from anyone, it should be you." And with that, he left.

"So, let's go." Draco said, heading towards the exit.

"Can you give us a minute, we need to talk." Harry said. "We'll be right out if you want to wait for us." Draco nodded his head and left.

"What was that about?" Ron asked. "Why are you protecting his secret?"

"They don't need to know, it's none of their business, nor is it our place to tell them."

Ron furrowed his brow. "What do you mean; they're having food, while we're getting slop. I think that makes it our business."

"We're going to have good food tonight, and maybe we can get some more money so we can have good food every night. Now all of this is beside the point, we need to talk about last night."

With a sigh, Ron said, "Fine, here's what I have to say. Don't worry about me being jealous about Ginny. I can let go of that. What you and she had is nothing more than a frivolous fling. So, are we good now? I'm sorry that I was jealous of her, I won't be anymore."

"Thanks, and I won't overreact, I can understand where you were coming from." Harry placed a kiss on Ron's lips, and then wrapped his arms around his neck. "Are we going to be okay now?"

"Yeah, I think so." Ron replied. He wasn't sure if he really felt this way. He couldn't help it, but he was starting to feel jealousy again. But in place of Ginny, it was Draco. He hoped that he wouldn't be left for him. He knew that Harry loved him, but he wasn't sure if that was strong enough to keep Draco away. The fight last night put a bit of a strain on their relationship.

"Ron, are you coming?" Harry asked. He had been waiting for Ron at the exit out to the alley.

Ron snapped out of his reverie, he hadn't even noticed that Harry had left his side. He nodded to Harry, and slowly made his way toward him. He wanted to trust him. But he couldn't. Not unless Draco was gone. Ron's eyes widened as he realized how simple it would be. Get rid of Draco, and there would be no reason for Harry to leave him. He saw how Draco looked at Harry. Ron knew that he would not allow himself to end up like his sister. But what could he do? He looked at Harry, who was smiling at him. He smiled back, and then it hit him. All those boys were so mad when he didn't share his money. He'd done this once, and only because he didn't know any better. Once they hear about Draco's infidelity, it wouldn't be long until he never had to worry about him again. _I've got you in a corner, Artful Draco. _He thought._ Let's see you paint yourself out of it._

Two months had passed since Harry and Ron ran away from home, and as the time passed, Ron became increasingly jealous of the friendship that had grown between Draco and Harry. Ron knew that they were only friends; at least, he was pretty sure that there wasn't anything sexual between them.

Of course, why should there be? Harry and Ron still kissed each other, told each other that they loved one another, and still cuddled close together as they fell asleep. Ron was certain that Harry still loved him. But there was a nagging feeling that Harry would be happier with Draco. After all, Draco could provide more for Harry. He was a master thief; he could obtain anything Harry could want. Ron wasn't able to pick a blind man's pocket to save his life.

Then there was Draco himself. Ron could not deny that Draco was a gorgeous boy. Blond locks, smooth skin, dark gray, smoky eyes, one could just lose themselves in. Ron knew he couldn't compare, with his red curls, awkward lankiness, and freckled skin. Draco had tales of adventure on the streets of London which enthralled Harry. Ron's closest thing to adventure was the giant dog that chased him through an alley, and even then, it wasn't a long chase before the dog got bored and started biting himself.

Ron felt inadequate compared to Draco, and it didn't help that all the boys seemed to adore him. A few days after he found out that Draco was sleeping with Dumbledore and was given food and luxuries not afforded to the rest, he told the boys. Not one of them batted an eye. Almost all of them knew that Draco was the only thing that Dumbledore cared for anymore, and that he deserved the treatment he got. Ron couldn't believe that they didn't care he never went hungry, he never had to eat slop, and he always got Dumbledore's affection.

As he became lost in his thoughts, a disgusting smell wafted into his nostrils. He quickly looked down and realized that the gruel was burning against the pot. Ron quickly removed the pot from the flame and stirred it, so the gruel didn't burn to the bottom of it. After realizing what a miserable pickpocket he was, he had replaced Neville as cook, and found that he wasn't too good at that either.

He was frustrated; he knew this was probably fate's cruel way of punishing him for driving Ginny to kill herself, but Harry seemed happy and carefree, why hadn't fate made Harry as miserable? He finished the gruel and started ladling it into bowls for the others. He was so sick of how badly this was turning out for him.

Just then, he heard footsteps behind the curtain that acted as a door out to the alley. And then voices. It was Harry and Draco. "Draco, what are you doing?"

"Nothing."

"What if Ron sees?"

"Who cares?"

"I do, he can't know yet."

"He can't see us."

"I don't care, just put it away."

"Not yet, don't you want to hold it first."

"This isn't the time. Not yet. Just put it away, I don't want Ron to open the curtain and see it."

"Fine. I'll put it away, but he'll find out about this sooner or later."

"Well, of course he will. I have to tell him sometime, don't I?"

Ron heard the entire conversation. He couldn't believe it. Harry really was cheating on him. Ron eyes started watering. This is Draco's fault. That asshole. That harlot. Hell, he tried to do it with Harry in the entryway. Ron couldn't take it anymore. He knew what he had to do. He quickly ran off to Dumbledore's room.

Dumbledore was busy reading a book when Ron entered the room.

"What can I do for you, Ron?" Dumbledore asked.

"I have to tell you something." Ron sighed; he didn't want to break the poor man's heart. "Draco isn't being faithful to you."

"What?" Dumbledore asked.

"Draco's chea…"

"I heard you. With who?"

"With Harry. I heard them in the hallway, it sounded like Draco was pressuring Harry to have sex with him right there."

"Oh, I see." Dumbledore said. For the situation, he seemed strangely calm. "Are the boys here?"

"No, there's just Draco, Harry and me." Ron replied.

"Good, good. Stay here for a moment." Dumbledore asked as he left the room.

Ron waited patiently for Dumbledore to return. When he did, nearly ten minutes later, Draco was following him. "What was that for?" Draco asked as they both entered the room.

"I believe you know what for, Artful." Dumbledore said in a dark voice that did not fit his demeanor.

"I really don't. Please enlighten me." Draco asked. His arms were crossed across his chest and he was glaring daggers at his lover.

"Ron here should be able to do just that." Dumbledore replied, revealing Ron to Draco.

"What the hell is going on?" Draco asked, shifting his glare to Ron.

"I heard you and Harry in the entryway, I know he's cheating on me, and you were cheating on Dumbledore."

"What! I was doing no such thing." Draco insisted.

"Then what was all that about, 'What if Ron sees' and 'Put it away'? Can't keep your pants on around him?" Ron asked sarcastically.

"You thought he was talking about my cock when he said put it away? Well for your information, we weren't cheating on either of you. He had me steal you a gift, and he didn't want you to see it. Here it is." Out of his pocket, Draco pulled out a brilliant gold necklace with a crystal heart at the end. "He is so crazily in love with you, he wanted to give you this. Made it disappear right off the neck of this old bird. You thought he was cheating? Well, he told me you were the jealous type."

"He told you that?" Ron asked, unable to take his eyes off the beautiful crystal.

"He wanted someone to talk to, someone who wouldn't judge him." Draco stated. "Well, I guess he won't be telling me anything more, will he?"

"Why?" Ron asked.

"Dumbledore here threw him out back on the streets. You should have seen Dumbledore. He was mad as hell. Harry ran his heart out. He won't be coming back anytime soon." Draco said, speaking the last line with sadness. "Well, here you go anyway." Draco tossed the necklace to Ron. Like his ability to steal, and to cook, his ability to catch was non-existent. The necklace fumbled in his hands and fell to the stone floor, shattering into a dozen shimmering pieces.

"What a klutz." Draco said mockingly.

Ron knelt to the ground gathering the shards, tears flowing from the loss of Harry. He had been so stupid, now the only thing he had left of him was destroyed.

"Oh, Ron," Draco said with a wicked sneer. "Look at that. Not many people can say, both figuratively and literally, that they've broken somebody's heart."

"You asshole. You did this on purpose." Ron screamed. He took the chain and pieces of heart and ran to his room.

He sat at the edge of his bed, thinking of what had just transpired. He held the crystal heart, the symbol of Harry's adoration, broken on his palm. His eyes were bloodshot from the tears he had shed. He had thrown the best thing that he ever had away because of his jealousy toward Draco. Draco hadn't done anything wrong; Ron should have been happy for Harry to actually open up to anyone. He wasn't like this with anyone besides him. He took what was left of the heart and squeezed it in his fist. Reopening his palm, he saw little droplets of blood shine against the shards. He picked the largest of the pieces and placed it against his wrist. He realized why Ginny had done what she had done. He knew that it would be a useless act, but what was the point of living without Harry?

"He must not mean that much to you." A voice came from the entryway. "Fine," Draco continued, his words like knives. "Kill yourself. Let him know you let him go so easily. Let him see how little you cared, when he cared for you so much."

"Leave me alone." Ron replied. "I don't deserve him, even if he managed to come back, why would he want me after everything I've done to him. Because of me, he's gone, traveling the streets of a town he's never been. He could be freezing, starving, or dying, and it'd be because of me."

"Well that's no way to talk." Draco drawled. "Sure, it's all true, but joining Ginny won't do anybody any good. Poor Neville would have to go back to doing all the menial labor."

"Don't speak if you're just going to make jokes." Ron said. Then he took in everything he had heard. "Why do you know her name. All I said was my sister when I told Dumbledore why we were here."

"Harry filled in the blanks." Draco said. "And before you get all upset that he told me this, it was only because I would listen. You wouldn't talk about her without becoming jealous. He just needed to let his emotions out to an unbiased party."

"He would have been better with you, wouldn't he have?" Ron asked. "He can tell you things he can't tell me. You can offer him something in this way of life. I guess you can have him. It's what you've wanted since you've met him, isn't it? And don't try to deny it, I heard you that first night. The only reason I didn't tell Harry is that he would chalk it up to jealousy and be more mad than he already was."

Ron sighed. Keeping the largest, while dropping the others. Ron pressed its jagged edge to his wrist. "Here I go." Ron breathed in deeply. "You can paint with my blood now, Artful." He spat, pressing the jag into his skin, a small trail of blood ran down his arm. "Happy n...OW!" He cried out as Draco tore the crystal away from Ron, then pushed Ron down onto the bed, holding him there under his weight. "Get off of me!" Ron struggled underneath. The last thing he would have expected was for Draco to stop him from killing himself.

"I'm not going to be the one to tell Harry you killed himself. It's probably enough for his conscience that your sister killed herself over him." Draco said. He grabbed the crystal from Ron and got up from off of him.

"When would you have the chance to tell him?"

"When I find him." Draco replied.

"But he could be anywhere."

"Which is why I want, no, need your help. The two of us can cover more ground. And the faster we go, the faster it will be to find him, and the faster we can return." Draco said.

"What's your plan?"

"Leave tonight. Don't say a word. I'll steal some money from Dumbledore, and then we run. Once we find Harry we make our way back. And everyone will be happy, more or less." Draco said the last part in a down-hearted tone.

"Let's hurry then, get the money, I'll wait for you outside." Ron said. Draco started to walk away and Ron put his hand on Draco's shoulder. "Thank you." He said. "I know this doesn't mean much from me, and I know that you hate me a little for being the one thing that stands in the way of you being with Harry. But you're a good person, when you're not acting icy. You can find someone, and not just Dumbledore."

"Yes, but I'm always cold. I put people off, and they don't like me for it. The only reason I get any respect from the boys is because I terrify them. I can't make someone love me by scaring them into it."

Ron walked around to face Draco, and then hugged him. "You aren't always like that. You let Harry see something that is there. I've seen it too. You can melt the frozen demeanor you've created."

Draco smiled. He'd never been told that he was a good person before, even by someone who was trying to kiss up to him. "Thanks, Ron. I better go get the money."

"I'll meet you outside." Ron said. It was impossible for him to think that they could be friends, when not minutes ago he would have killed him because he was trying to get Harry. But now that Harry could be gone, Draco was a much-needed shoulder to lean on.

He tiptoed out of the door and found Ron waiting for him. "Got it, this should last for a time. And if we happen to run out, I can always pickpocket." Draco said. He took a long look at Ron. He had failed to see him as anyone he would want to spend time alone with. Compared to Harry, he wasn't much to look at, but standing alone, in the moonlight, he was very handsome. Who knew, maybe if they didn't find Harry, he could become not just a newly found friend, but a new-found love.

Ron followed Draco out of the alley, careful to not bump over a trash can or step on a cat; he didn't want to make a ruckus. As he followed behind, he realized that Draco wasn't as bad a person as he had first thought. But he could change his mind about his friendly feelings toward Ron if they found Harry. So Ron decided to make sure that he would not become too close to Draco, just in case one of them had a change of heart.

"Are you coming?" Draco asked.

"Uh, yeah, sorry." He snapped out of his thoughts and crept away from the hole-in-the-wall he had been living for the past couple months. Ready to find Harry, and make up to him for what he had caused. There was nothing that would stand in the way of neither Draco nor Ron reuniting with their mutual friend and object of affection.


	6. Lost & Found

Last night was not a good night. He was chased out of his home by Dumbledore on an unfounded accusation that he was trying to steal Draco away. He then ran into a group of kids with a better than thou attitude and had to run for his life, again. He was forced to hide in an alley, behind a garbage can, and wait for the time when the boys forgot about him. He was cold, hungry, tired, and he had nowhere to go. He couldn't go back to Dumbledore's hideaway because he was afraid of the old man, and he had no idea where it was. He couldn't go back to the Weasley's because Arthur and Molly would probably tear him limb from limb for causing Ginny to kill herself. The only other home he knew was the Dursley's. But there was no way in hell that they would let him back in. Even if they would, the streets were probably a hell of a lot safer.

He woke up at the break of dawn. The sunlight had infiltrated his sight and he had no choice but to awaken. He slept in an awkward position, and had a crick in his neck. The stone alleyway was not a proper place to sleep, every part of his body ached. Then he felt a weight on his leg. He looked and saw a giant rat. Harry screamed in surprise, shaking the rat off of him, it fell from him, but returned to attack him. "Get away you stupid rat." Harry grabbed the nearest object, and started to beat the rat with it. "Die, die, die!" Harry yelled. When he put the crate back where he found it, he saw that the rat was most definitely dead, blood was splattered everywhere, and its viscera was hanging from its body. Harry thought he was going to throw up, and quickly left the alley.

Back on the street, he was nearly alone. Nobody was up at this ungodly hour, save milkmen and paperboys. He walked the streets, hoping to find something to eat or somebody to pickpocket. Thankfully, he had met Draco and was able to pick up the art of pickpocketing easily enough. He started thinking of Draco. Maybe the accusation Dumbledore had made wasn't that unreasonable. He liked Draco's company, and he was the only person, besides Ron, that he was able to open up to. He had spent a lot of time with Draco the last couple weeks. "Oh god." Harry said aloud, realizing what had happened. "It all makes sense, oh, Ron, why?" He came to the conclusion that Ron told Dumbledore that Draco was falling in love with him. Ron was jealous, and wanted Draco out, but it backfired. "Goddammit, Ron, if I told you once, I told you a hundred times not to be jealous." Harry was enraged at the most logical reason why he was on the street, alone. He started walking in some arbitrary direction, hoping he would find something he could rest on, or something to eat, or steal. He didn't know where he was, but that didn't bother him anymore.

After about an hour of walking, he encountered a park. In the center was a beautiful fountain and benches where he could rest. He laid on one of the benches. Not much better than the alley, but much less chance of waking up with a rat on the leg. He covered his eyes as best he could, and took a nap.

A few hours later, he woke as more people started to enter the park on their ways to work, school and the town center. He rubbed his eyes and sat up. Now that there were people, he had a much better chance to find one worth stealing from. He looked among the crowds. Nobody looked like they had a lot to spare, until he saw her. She was a beautiful young lady, although her hair was a bushy mane, and her front teeth were a few sizes too big. She wore a stunning pink dress, and carried a parasol in one hand and a small clutch purse in the other. He had never worked alone, Draco was always there to help, but he was certain that it wouldn't take much for him to steal that purse away from her.

Carefully, he walked over to her, and decided the best course of action. He noticed a chain coming out a pocket on the side of her dress, and came up with an ingenious plot. Using all of his craftiness, he carefully extracted the chain from her dress. It was connected to a beautiful pocket watch. This alone would fetch a pretty penny, but he wasn't so greedy. He assumed it was an antique, probably a family heirloom, and didn't feel like stealing something so precious. "Excuse me, miss." Harry called to the young lady. She turned around and faced him. "I believe you dropped this." He said, holding up the pocket watch.

"Oh my, thank you so much. If I would have lost this, I don't know what I would have done. Most boys like you probably would have run off with it, but you are a gentleman." The young lady said. She walked over to him. "Could you hold this for me? Just until I put my watch away." She handed him her purse and quickly replaced the watch in her pocket, ensuring it's security. Harry was floored at how easily this was working out for him. "Thank you again," She said, while she put the watch in place, "Like I said, most boys would have just run a..." She returned to face Harry, but he was gone. "Oh dear." She said. "POLICE! POLICE! Help! That boy just stole my purse!" She said. A policeman had come to her aid and asked her which way he went. "There," She said, pointing towards a figure that was running away. "It must be him. Please hurry." The policeman began the chase.

Harry was running out of breath; this was the first time he'd ever been caught. He took a turn to evade the policeman, but instead, ran into another. "What are you running from, my boy?" The policeman asked. He examined Harry, and saw the purse. "Not even a fop would be carrying around a pink purse." He lifted Harry by the collar. "Who'd you steal this from?"

"I don't know her name." He replied. His heart was racing and he'd never been so scared in his life.

"Well, come along, we're going to bring this back to her, you'll apologize, and then it's off to jail."

"Jail? No, please sir." Harry pleaded.

"Come along, you little urchin." He said, pulling Harry by the scruff. They made there way back to the fountain, where the lady was still standing.

"Oh thank you. How dare you take this from me you little beast." She said, ripping the purse out of his hands. "You probably stole my watch from me as a ploy. You good-for-nothing urchin." She yelled at him. Turning back to the police officer, she asked. "What are you going to do with him?"

"Throw him in jail, until we can find some sort of relation."

"What, no, you can't do that; I can't go back to my uncle's." Harry pleaded. He turned to the woman. "Please, ma'am, I'm so sorry for taking your purse, but I haven't eaten, I'm cold, I'm tired, I just needed some money. Please, ma'am, don't let him take me away, I'll do anything."

The young woman thought about it. "Officer, do you think it'd be fine if I took the boy into my home. I could use a servant, you see, I just got married, and there's a lot of unpacking I need to do, with his help, my new home will be nice and clean. Plus, it'd keep him off the streets."

"I don't see the harm." The officer said. "Just don't let him out on the streets again."

"Oh thank you, thank you, and thank you." Harry said to the lady.

"Come along, you little ragamuffin. Let's go, I'll have to introduce you to my husband."

They walked toward her home. She held him by the wrist, in a grip as tight as she could make. "When we get to my home, the first thing I want you to do is clean yourself up. My servant is a representation of who I am, and I won't let my friends see my house being taken care of by some dirty little scoundrel."

"Yes ma'am."

"From now on, you'll be addressing me as Miss Weasley."

"Weasley?" Harry asked, his mouth agape. "Like Arthur Weasley? Do you know him?"

"Why yes, I do, he's my father-in-law." They reached the top of the steps at Miss Weasley's home. They entered through the door and she called out. "Husband, come here, I've got somebody I want you to meet."

A familiar red-head walked into the entryway and looked at Harry. "Harry, is that you?"

"You know him?" She asked.

"Yes I do." He answered. "I didn't think I'd ever see you again."

"I didn't think I'd ever see you again either, Percy."

"It's been three days, I don't think that he's coming back, Dumbledore." Neville said. "I know he was our best pickpocket, but we'll still manage to survive without Artful."

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled, hiding his obvious sadness. "He could've been kidnapped; I want you all looking for him." He ordered.

"Look, it's no use, he's gone, and so are the two new boys. We can't bring 'em back, I'm sorry, but that's just how it is." Neville left Dumbledore alone in his room to gather his thoughts.

He was crushed, broken-hearted, and utterly useless now. He had given up. Without Draco, he really didn't care much about what was happening around him. Of course, there was always money, he cared about that. He decided that it was time to take a fond looking over of his amassed wealth. He opened the box and to his surprise and anger, it was completely empty. He knew there wasn't much there, but what had been there was important. "Where could it have gone?" Dumbledore asked nobody in particular.

"Dumbledore, a man who calls himself V is here to see you, should I let him in?" Neville asked, peeking his head through the door.

Dumbledore was panicked. The man was here for money, and he didn't have any, he couldn't ask for more time.

Through the door came a sinister looking man, with snake like features, and piercing eyes. "Dumbledore, you know why I'm here, where is the money?"

"Please, Voldemort, I just need a little more time." Dumbledore pleaded. "I can pay you more if I have more time."

"How often must I listen to your groveling?" Voldemort asked. "Well, then you know what I want. I want the boy."

"He's gone." Dumbledore said, for the first time he was happy that Draco was gone, he couldn't be hurt this way. "He ran away."

"Well, then, I guess, I'll have to make do with the others." Voldemort said.

"No, please, you can't." Dumbledore said.

"Get me the money, and they'll be back in your care." Voldemort said.

"He went back into the main room followed by Dumbledore. "Since I can't have the one I want, I'm taking this one, and these two. Get me the money, and everything will be fine."

"Yes sir." Dumbledore said, drained of energy. The boys he had chosen, Seamus, Dean, and Blaise, appeared terrified. They cried for help, but Dumbledore stopped any of the others to help.

"It's been a pleasure doing business with you." Voldemort laughed, a twisted, menacing laugh. He took chains from his person and tied the three boys up, dragging them out into the street with him. They pleaded, but Voldemort, stronger than the three, dragged them out behind him.

"Why did you let him take them away?" Neville asked.

"It's too much for me to explain. He's a bad man, and I'm even worse. I let him take advantage of me, and now he's taking it out on you all. But I promise you, I will get them back, and we'll never be bothered by him again."

The boys looked at each other nervously as Dumbledore left. The question on everybody's mind was: What could Dumbledore have done to warrant this man to kidnap three of their own?

"Harry, please, come in." Percy ushered him through the doorway and towards the sitting room. Harry relaxed in a very comfortable armchair. It was the softest piece of furniture he had come across since he had ran from the Weasley mansion.

As Harry became comfortable, Percy took a seat on a sofa opposite Harry. He spent several seconds staring at Harry before turning to his wife. "Hermione, could you bring some tea out for us; perhaps a sandwich or two?" Percy asked. She nodded and headed for the kitchen.

As Percy looked at Harry, a smile spread across his face. "I'm so glad to see you again. After you and Ron ran off, I was afraid I'd never see either of you again."

"I'm really sorry if we caused any undue pain by our leaving, but after Ginny…well, we just couldn't stay." Harry said. "You understand, don't you? Ron and I didn't know what else to do. We were scared, it was rash but we just…" Harry was cut off with a wave of Percy's hand.

"You do not have to explain anything to me. I understand completely. Right now, I'm just happy to know you and Ron are safe." Percy said. "Where have you been staying all this time?"

"Well, when we first arrive we stayed in some abandoned hole in the wall. There were a lot of other orphan boys with us. They helped us learn how to survive on the streets." Harry replied. "But then yesterday I was thrown out. I'm sketchy on the details, but I think it was Ron's fault."

"Why, what happened?" Percy asked. Harry told Percy of Draco. How he had been a good friend to Harry and how Ron may have misinterpreted this as some deeper affection. "So you think he got jealous and wanted to get rid of you?"

"No, I think he wanted to get rid of Draco, but messed up. There is an old guy, Dumbledore, he's like the father, and he favors Draco. I think Ron said I was trying to take Draco away from him, so he got rid of me." Harry explained. "I'm not sure what's going to happen now. I can't even remember where the hideaway is. I may not find Ron again." Harry was saddened at this thought. He had had his ups and downs with the redhead, but he still cared for him. He was lost in thoughts of Ron when he was jerked out of his reverie by the whistling of the kettle.

Hermione came out of the kitchen holding a platter with two sandwiches and three cups of tea. "Here Harry, eat up, you look so hungry." She handed him the sandwiches and placed a teacup on a table next to the chair. She handed Percy a cup before taking a seat next to him. "So you're the Harry that Percy has told me about. He was so hopeful that he'd find either you or Ron. He misses his brother so much. Now we know that he's near and we can find him."

"I hope we can find him. But I don't know where he is. He could have started looking for me, or he could still be with the boys, but I can't even remember where that is anymore. He could still be lost. We may never find him." Harry said, tearing up.

Percy went to Harry's side and put hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry. We'll find him."

Harry wiped away some tears from his eyes. "I don't know where he is. How will we be able to get him back?"

"We don't know where he is. How will we get him back?" Ron asked. Ron and Draco had crept through the night, looking throughout the alleys of London in search for Harry, but there was nothing to be found. Sitting on a crate, Ron sighed and said, "We can't give up, but this city is too big for us to keep looking like this. He could be anywhere." Ron pulled his legs toward his chest and held onto them with his arms. "What'll we do?" He asked Draco. Ron placed his head on his knees and waited for a reply.

Draco leaned against one of the building walls. He didn't know how to answer because nothing he could say could possibly make anything better. "I don't kn…" Draco started but was stopped by a small noise coming from Ron. Draco went over to check on him and found that he was snoring. Carefully, Draco picked him off the crate. Ron was heavier than Draco had expected, but he was still able to gently place him on the ground. He sat down next to Ron, who was still sleeping, and gently placed Ron's head in his lap. Unconsciously Ron began to stretch out and become comfortable. Absentmindedly, Draco started to stroke Ron's hair. Something about him, he couldn't think of what it could be, but something in Ron made Draco like him.

As the sun rose in the east, shining light on London, Draco fell asleep, his hands still in Ron's hair. Having become irritated by the light, Ron's eyes opened up to reveal that he was no longer on the crate, but on the ground. He expected to feel the pain of falling over, but nothing came. What he did feel was something on his head and he was unsure what it was. He gently rose up to find he had been sleeping on Draco's lap. Ron smiled at Draco for allowing him the comfort of a pillow instead of the stone floor of the alley. He was going to give Draco a peck on the cheek, nothing more than his sign of thanks when Draco turned and caused their lips to touch. A small shock passed through their bodies and Draco awoke to see Ron just millimeters from his face.

"Ron what are you doing?" Draco asked. Ron scrambled backward, blushing hard. "Did you kiss me?"

"No, no, I, I was just checking to see if you were awake. That's all." Ron replied sheepishly. "Nothing more, really."

"Whatever you say Ron." Draco said, grinning. "You know you're cute when you blush." The comment caused Ron to blush more profusely. "So shall we start looking again, or do you want to stay here in this dank alley with me?"

"Good, good idea, let's start looking some more." Ron quickly got up and brushed himself off. He turned to Draco, who was feigning disappointment. "Need some help up?" He held out his hand and Draco grabbed it. Ron pulled him up and Draco pushed himself against Ron.

"You sure you'd rather not just stay here with me?" He asked, putting all his charm into a smirk. "Fine then, let's go." Draco said, heading out of the alley. Ron was momentarily stunned by Draco's odd behavior. His head was saying that he loves Harry, but his body was responding differently to Draco's affections. "Are you coming?" Draco yelled to Ron. Ron regained himself and headed toward Draco's voice. "Are you okay?" Draco asked.

Ron shook his head affirmatively. "Yeah, I'm good." He wasn't, not really, but he didn't want Draco to know. It'd be easier that way, Ron assured himself.

Across the street from Ron and Draco, a horse drawn carriage had just stopped and outside of it stepped a short, portly man. He looked towards Draco and Ron and immediately recognized the blond. He walked toward the two and said, "Well look who it is. You're one of Dumbledore's are you not?"

"Who are you?" Ron asked, taking a step back.

"The name's Peter." He replied. He turned his attention back to Draco. "You must be Draco. It's quite an honor to meet someone as well known as you."

"What are you talking about? What do you want?" Draco asked.

"It's not what I want, it's what V wants." Peter replied. "And I'm happy to tell you he wants you. So you'll be coming with me." He grabbed Draco by the collar and dragged him across the street.

"Hey, let him go." Ron yelled. He ran after Peter and tried to attack, but Peter was too quick. He whipped out a retractable cane and whacked Ron in the face. Ron crumpled over. Peter than grabbed him as well and threw them both into the back of the truck and locked the door before driving away.


	7. Dead & Alive

When he finally came to, his first thought was the pain he felt on the side of his head. He reached for the bruise to see if it was bloody, but soon realized that he couldn't. He looked around, but in the darkness of the room couldn't make out anything. He tried to make a sound but was too weary to speak loud enough for anyone to hear. "Draco," he whispered in a raspy voice. "Are you in here?"

To his surprise he heard a groan from the other side of the darkness. "Draco, is that you?" Ron whispered again. He tried to walk forward but was tethered to the wall. He soon realized that he was in shackles and chains. He tried to break free but it was no use. "Draco?"

"Ron, is that you?" A voice spoke. It was in the same direction as the first noise and it continued, "Ron, this is Seamus."

"What? Why are you here?" Ron asked.

"Some guy brought us here. We were payment for some debt Dumbledore owed." He answered.

"You said us, are there more than just you here?"

"Yeah, there are." Seamus replied. He took Dean and Blaise as well. I don't know where they are though; I haven't seen them since we left Dumbledore and the others. You weren't there when they took us. Where did you go?"

"We went to find Harry. But then some creepy guy with a cane came and kidnapped us. Who is he?" Ron asked.

"That's Wormtail. He's V's lackey. He's the one who keeps us chained up and then brings us to V so he can…" Seamus' voice drifted off.

"So he can what Seamus?" Ron asked. He had an idea but didn't want to think of it. At that moment, a door opened and in walked Peter with a lantern. The light flooding in allowed Ron to see his prison. There were many sets of shackles but Seamus and Ron were the only ones occupying them.

"You, why I believe it is your turn." Peter said pointing a finger at Ron. "Aren't you a handsome lad? Not as handsome as Draco, no. Well not as handsome as he was."

"Was? What did you do to him?" Ron asked in the strongest voice he could muster.

"Oh, I didn't do anything to him, but V, yes, he was a bit rough." Peter smirked. "Of course Draco has been a very naughty boy and needed to be taught a lesson."

"Where is he?" Ron yelled. A rage flowed through him like nothing he had felt before.

"He's recovering. V is a very strong _lover_." Peter chuckled. "But you'll get to experience that firsthand." Peter went to Ron and produced a huge ring of keys. He easily found the key he was looking for, as he had done this many times before, and proceeded to unlock the shackles.

Though weary, Ron still found just enough to push Peter to the ground. He landed with a thud and cried out. Quickly thinking, Ron took a shackle and cuffed it to Peter's leg. Ron grabbed the keys and ran over to Seamus. "We have to hurry." Ron said, trying to find the right key. He tried each key, turning left and right, but none seemed to work. "I can't find it." His frustration caused him to drop the ring. "Damn it." He cried. He picked up the keys and tried again. Luckily he chose the right one and proceeded to free Seamus.

Seamus gave a huge sigh of relief and then said, "Thank you Ron. Now quick, we have to get out of here." A groan came from Peter who was still lying on the floor. "What do we do with him?"

"Just leave him there I suppose." Ron said. "We should take that lantern with us, though, we may need it." Seamus nodded his head and walked over to get it. As Seamus was picking up the lantern, Peter let out a yell and grabbed Seamus' leg toppling him to the ground. The lantern fell and broke causing the fire inside to catch onto Peter's coat. He let out a scream, and tried to get the coat off, but he couldn't figure it out in his hysteria. Seamus scrambled up off the stone floor and ran to Ron's side. "Let's go." They both left, leaving Peter to burn.

"What if he dies?" Ron asked.

"He deserves it. After all the shit he's put us through, he'll have to get used to fire anyway, it burns hotter than that in Hell." Seamus said. "What we should worry about are Blaise, Dean, and Draco." They walked down a hallway leading away from their cell. "I don't remember which way it is to V's room though." They crept along, they didn't want to make too much noise, until they reached another door. "Should we open it?"

"I guess so." Ron replied. Hoping there was nothing bad on the other side he turned the knob and pushed the door open. The room was as dark as their cage. Ron looked around and saw another lantern which he carefully grabbed and used it to look inside. It was another room filled with shackles. "Come on Seamus." Ron whispered.

They both walked inside and found what they were hoping for. "Dean, Blaise, it's me Seamus. We're here to get you out of here." Seamus said. He took the keys from Ron and went over to the boys. His luck with the keys was much greater than Ron's and he had them freed in seconds. "I'm so glad to see you both again."

"We're glad too." Blaise responded. "We've got to get out of here now."

"Let's go." Dean said, heading toward the door.

"Wait." Ron said. "We have to help Draco."

"Draco's here?" Blaise asked. "How did he get here? For that matter, how did you get here?"

"Wormtail kidnapped me." Ron answered hastily. "But there's time for explanations later. We have to help Draco before it's too late."

"I don't think so." A voice from the doorway said. With a bloody stump Peter stood, wavering on one leg. His skin scarred from burns. He was holding a long serrated blade, gleaming with blood. "You aren't going anywhere, any of you." He whipped out his cane and leaned against it for extra support. He was bridging on death having had to cut off his own foot to free himself, a tourniquet wrapped around his knee.

The three looked were shocked that he had managed to escape, but all were of the realization he was not going to put up a fight against the three of them. Blaise and Dean were the first to act and rushed him. He lashed out but since they could use both their legs, they had better balance and speed and swiftly evaded his assault.

Ron followed close behind, but did not have the stealth that Dean and Blaise had learned from a life of burglary. Wormtail struck him and Ron fell to the ground. Wormtail managed to keep balance as he attacked Ron. "Do you see what you've done to me? I will make you pay for it.

Still in the shadows, Seamus saw two choices, help Ron and risk being trapped in this accursed place, or make a break for it and return to Dumbledore. He realized that this was all Dumbledore's fault anyway, and if not for Ron, he probably wouldn't have this opportunity. With all the strength that he could muster, he charged at Wormtail, knocking him to the floor. He turned to Ron and checked on his wounds. "Are you okay?" Ron asked urgently.

"Fine enough to get out of here." He managed to say in staggered breaths. "We have to hurry." He slowly got to his feet with Seamus' help. "What are we going to do about him?" He asked pointing to Wormtail. "We shouldn't just leave him here; he may try to stop us again."

"You're right." Seamus said. "Leave him to me, you go find Draco." Seamus ushered Ron to the door. "Go, before Draco suffers any more pain." Ron nodded and ran out of the room.

Seamus returned his attention to Wormtail. "You pathetic nothing, all the pain you have caused has come back to get you."

"P-please, have mercy; I only did what I was told. V would have killed me if I didn't follow his orders." Wormtail pleaded. "I didn't want this to happen."

"You did nothing to stop it." Seamus said. "But I will." He picked up the discarded cane and began to bludgeon Wormtail with it. "This is for Dean and Blaise and Draco and Ron." He struck his face multiple times causing blood to flow from all orifices.

"Please, stop!" Wormtail cried out in pain. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." He began to sob uncontrollably, his tears mixing in with his blood." Seamus stopped his assault, for a moment.

"You don't deserve sympathy. You don't deserve mercy. It'll be a cold day in hell before I afford you either." Seamus said. "But I promise it'll be over soon." Seamus stood on Wormtail's chest and pressed the cane gently against his eyelid. "You won't hurt anybody else." As if using a pool cue to hit a ball, Seamus took aim, shoved the cane into Wormtail's eye, and let it drive into his brain. He was dead. The cane stood straight up, even after Seamus had let go.

Whether it was from nerves, fatigue or disgust at the gruesome scene before him, Seamus fell to his knees and proceeded to vomit all over Wormtail's corpse. After completely desecrating the dead body, Seamus left the room in pursuit of Ron, hoping to find Draco and leave their prison. He was more ashamed of his actions than he could ever express, for this murder was one that he would never let a soul know of.

"I'm so happy to have found you." Harry said. He placed a tray on the table that had food on it. In seconds, the food was gobbled down. A loud belch was emitted followed by thanks for the sandwich. "You're welcome. You must be starving. All that searching for me must have been exhausting. I was waiting, I knew you'd come for me." Harry cleared away the tray and wiped down the table. "Of course, I never should have had to run away. However, we both know why Dumbledore got rid of me. It was jealousy. He seemed to think I was going to steal his boy. Oh, it was obviously my fault. I came on too strong. Do not cry for me. It was not a bad thing that I had to run. Look where I ended up, a great home with great people. I can't say I was happy for being separated from you, but we're together again."

Harry stood up and went to the door. He glanced at the scene that took place in the living room. It was a joyful moment of family reunited. Harry quietly closed the door and turned around. Slightly tearing up, Harry said, "The happy family is back together now. But we, we do not have anyone else. Therefore, we should go. We can go far away. We both know how to make it on the streets. We'll survive and we'll be together."

"What about Ron?" Draco asked. He did not know why he asked that. What should he care about Ron? "Ron loves you."

"Are you trying to push me away? Do you want me to be with him?" Harry asked.

"No! Of course I don't." Draco said. He got up and crossed over to Harry. "But I feel bad for him. He really did want to tell you how sorry he was for getting you into this mess."

"Don't feel bad. Look, I have had some time to think while I was here. I realized I thought of you more than I thought of Ron. We can't all stay here together, if we did, it would become awkward. I love Ron; he's the first friend I've ever had. Nevertheless, I love you too. More than I thought I would when we first met. I love Ron, but…" Harry's thoughts ran off. "But…Well, it's just not the same anymore."

"So are we going to tell Ron?" Draco asked. "It'd probably break his heart." Even though a part of him had grown to like Ron, the other was malevolently hoping Harry would tell Ron just to watch him hurt.

"No, we will just leave. There will be no words; no chances to change our minds. I do not have anything, so we can just go. Out the window, that would be better than to let them see us leave. Quickly, before they notice we have left." Harry briskly walked to the window and opened it. "You go first." Harry said. Draco carefully climbed out of the window and landed on the ground.

Harry swung one leg over the windowpane when the door opened. "Harry! What are you doing?" Ron asked. The noise shocked Harry and he fell back into the room. Ron went to the window and looked out. Seeing Draco he yelled, "You arsehole, I knew I should have told you to leave the minute we escaped. So go on, get out of here." Ron closed the window and drew the blinds. "Why? Why were you going to leave me?"

"I don't know. I love him. I love Draco." Harry said, his voice faltering as he spoke. "You drove me away. Even if you didn't mean to do that, it happened. I was able to think, since I was away from you both, and I just love him more." Harry walked over to sit down on a chair. "I'm sorry Ron."

"So that's it?" Ron asked, "You were just going to leave. No good-bye, no note, you were just going to go." Ron was seething. "You don't know what it did to me when you left. I know it was my fault but I was still so upset. I did everything I could to find you. I didn't know where you would be, if I'd ever find you, nevertheless, I left the safety of the other boys just to find you. And you want to thank me by leaving me?"

"Draco did those same things, didn't he, and you would just as well throw him out without giving me the chance to say goodbye to him." Harry said. "Even if I didn't love him, I'd still want to say hello and goodbye. I guess I will not have to now. I am leaving. You don't need me anymore, but Draco does. I will just have to say my goodbye to you. Goodbye Ron." Harry turned to go to the window. Ron beat him to it. "Ron move, just let me go."

"No, I am not letting you leave me again." Ron said. "I bet he didn't stay." He pulled back the blinds in time to see Draco hurling a rock at him. He gave out a yell and fell to the floor. The rock shattered the glass causing shards of glass to fall onto Ron and the floor. Ron got back up and yelled out to Draco. "What the hell is wrong with you?" Ron brushed himself off. "You're lucky I didn't get hurt, you bastard." He changed his tone and asked Harry, "Are you okay?" Turning around he found Harry on the floor; his face was smattered with blood, his glasses broken in two. "Harry, are you okay? Harry? Harry?"

Harry heard Ron's voice, but could not respond. He tried to move but couldn't. Without warning, the voice changed. It became higher and less panicked. "Harry, Harry," the voice said. "It's time to wake up." With a start, Harry awoke. He looked around. He was no longer in the dining room, but in his bed. He hurriedly ran to the other room. The window was fine. There was no sign of blood on the floor, nor a telltale rock.

He went back to Hermione. "Where's Ron?" He asked.

"You were dreaming that's all. I'm sorry, but he was never here." She replied.

"That's it; I have to go find him. I don't know where, but I cannot live with this feeling." Harry said.

"Where are you going?" Hermione asked.

"I don't know. Just tell Percy that I have gone to find him." Harry said.

"Here. It's not much, but it'll help." She gave him some pound notes. "Please hurry back."

"I will be back soon, I hope, I just need to find him, both of them." Harry said. With that, he left the house. He went down the streets, not knowing if he was going in the right direction, just hoping he would find his way to Ron and Draco.


	8. Leave & Come Back

Dean and Blaise were running in an unknown direction out of the building. They were panicked and not paying enough attention. Consequently, Harry was in the very same predicament. Wandering the streets with no direction. As luck would have it, the three of them ran right into each other. As Harry, Dean and Blaise were recovering from the collision, the two parties began to realize just whom they had run into. Harry was ecstatic to see people that could help him find the way back to Dumbledore's and the way back to Ron and Draco.

"You wouldn't believe how glad I am to see you both. You need to help me; I have no idea where I'm going." Harry said. I need to go back to Dumbledore's and find Ron and Draco."

"I'm afraid that you won't find them there." Blaise said. "They're being held captive right now."

"What! Where are they?" Harry asked frantically. "I need to find them, I have to see them, please tell me where they are."

"Can you see in the distance, a tall building billowing smoke?" Dean asked as he pointed in the direction he had just come from.

"Yes, are they in there?" Harry asked. He didn't wait for a response as he started running towards it.

"WAIT!" They both shouted in unison. "They're not in that building." Dean said. "They're in a smaller building beside it. It has no windows, you can't miss it."

"Okay, thank you." He turned towards the building when he quickly spun around and asked, "Why are they still there if you just came running from that place."

Blaise looked down at his feet ashamedly and said, "We ran when a mad man started coming at us four. We didn't even think to go back to help them, we know that we're cowards but we've been tortured there and we wanted out so bad."

"So you let Draco and Ron to suffer with a mad man? How could you?"

"Actually we let Ron and Seamus suffer with him, we don't know where Draco is though." Dean said.

"You left without even finding Draco? What kind of people are you?"

Dean approached Harry and yelled, "What kind of people...!? How dare you? You have no idea what we went through. You can't blame us for fleeing the first chance we had."

"Why didn't you help them get out too?" Harry asked.

"We didn't have the time; we were fighting to make sure we'd survive." Blaise answered.

"You could've have done something, if they're hurt, it'll all be your fault." Harry said. Dean smacked him across the face.

"You're going to blame us for what a cruel man has done to them? Who do you think you are?" Dean was enraged and was poised to strike again, but Blaise steadied his hand. "It's a dog eat dog world. I'm not going to sacrifice my safety for someone I barely know." Dean pulled away from Blaise and started walking away towards the hole in the wall he had yearned for every moment he was trapped in V's warehouse.

"Harry, you have to understand, it was horrible, it was terrible, it was unbearable, we couldn't stay. You would have done the same in our position." Blaise said.

"I would have tried to rescue Ron and Draco." Harry stated.

"And Seamus?" Blaise countered.

"What?"

"You would have tried to help Seamus too, right?" Blaise asked.

Harry took a moment to think and then said, "Uh, hmm, well yeah, of course I would."

"I don't think you would have. If you really think about it, you know you wouldn't have. Now you know what went through our heads. It was not that we didn't care, it's just we were too preoccupied with escaping. Don't judge us for our actions. If you're going there, I wish you luck in helping them, but be prepared to face opposition."

"I do understand; I'm sorry that I impulsively blamed you both, but it's so easy to try to find someone to blame when something bad happens." Harry said. "I'm going to go help them, with any luck, we'll be seeing you all again." With a quick nod, Harry turned and ran towards the warehouse, hoping it wasn't too late to save them.

Blaise started on his way back home, or to what he knew as home. When he finally caught up with Dean, he found that he was still seething. "Settle down, will you?" Blaise asked. "You can't blame him for being worried about his friends."

"I don't, I blame myself, and he's right; we could have helped them." Dean said.

"It's no use beating yourself up about it." Blaise said. "We can't do anything now, and Harry will help them, he doesn't look as if he's been starving, he'll fare well."

"No, it's not good enough, I'm going back to help him." Dean said, turning around.

"Stop. Don't go, not yet. We're almost back, we can recuperate, and we need a little rest and food if we plan to help anyone." Blaise said.

"Fine, but I'm not staying there long." Dean said.

"That's okay. Here we are." Blaise said, turning into the alleyway. Through the hole, they crawled and found themselves once again among the boys they had known for so long. Within seconds, Dean and Blaise were surrounded by their friends, ecstatic to see them again. They were bombarded with questions; "What happened?" "How did you escape?" "Where's Seamus?"

"Please, we don't have time for questions." Dean said. "We need food and we need Dumbledore."

"Here, the best food we've got right now." Neville said, offering them a large platter. "As for your other request, we have no idea where he went."

"He left the day after Ron and Draco ran away." One boy said.

"His room is completely cleared out, not a hide or hair of him is left." Another added.

"Great, just great," Dean said, "Well, we're going back there, we need to save Seamus, Ron and Draco, and possibly Harry if his good fortune turns."

"They're all there?" Neville asked.

"Yes, evil little slime named Wormtail kidnapped Ron and Draco, and Harry went to go rescue them." Blaise answered. "This is why we're going back, we need to bring them back here."

"I'll come with you." Neville said. "I don't want anything more to happen to them."

A chorus rang with approval of the mission to rescue the four. Everyone was gearing up to go when Dean asked Neville about a new boy who had stayed silent. "Who's that?"

"He's just another boy who's found his way here like the rest of us." Neville said. "So, are you going to come with us?"

"What did you say their names were?" The boy asked.

"There's Seamus, Draco, Ron and Harry." Blaise answered.

"Hmm, interesting, yes, I suppose I'll tag along." He answered. "I know of someone who may be wandering the streets right now, maybe I'll meet him along the way."

As Dean corralled the group to lead them out into the daylight, Blaise and the new boy were falling at the back. "I never got your name." The boy said.

"I'm Blaise. Just Blaise, I used to have a surname, but I've forgotten it." He answered, looking and bewildered as he realized what he had forgotten. "And yours, what's your name?"

"Mine?" He clarified. "It's Dudley, Dudley Dursley."

The news was the worst Petunia could have heard. He was dead, murdered by a crazy woman. It was disheartening to say the least. All she wanted was her husband to get her nephew back. The little rat, it's his fault that he was dead. He brought all sorts of trouble. Now it's just her and her son and she had no idea what to do.

"I'll send you to the workhouse, I will." She told her son. "I'll just live with your aunt Marge. She likes me well enough, even if we aren't a true family this is a time we need to come together."

So Petunia sold the house, moved in with Marge and sent Dudley to a workhouse. His pay was sent directly to Petunia and after a few months lost all contact with her only son.

Having realized she no longer sent any letters, Dudley started working less and less, not caring how much money she had been receiving. By the end of his third month there, he did just enough to pay for the uncomfortable lodgings and the disgusting food.

Well this got his mothers attention and he immediately received an angry letter telling him to do some work so she could eat. He responded in an equally nasty letter telling her that she can do some work because he had had enough. He was in the workhouse one more month, and then he ran away. He didn't know where, he just knew he was done. He was starved and he needed to find people who weren't so unfriendly. He was lucky enough to find Dumbledore's lot, without Dumbledore, who had just recently left him. He relished in the care of people who were nice and welcoming. They accepted him and he was happy for the first time in quite awhile.

He had often wondered whether he would see Harry again. In the days after his father's death, and his time in the workhouse, he hoped dearly to see him again, just so he could kill him for the pain he had caused. But as he assimilated into the boy's lifestyle, he gave up this obsession, and paid attention to life at hand. It was so much easier to live life with this weight off his shoulders; the boys even noticed an odd change in his demeanor that seemed to have happened spontaneously.

Now, however, his obsession came back with force. Just the mention of the name Harry had brought back all the memories that he had repressed. Inside him, the anger climbed and he was hoping, praying that this Harry was indeed his cousin, he knew that he deserved retribution and if he could make him pay, he may be able to live his life in peace, knowing that his father's death and his own suffering, was not without vengeance.

He lay sleeping in a large, four-poster bed, decorated with intricate wood carvings, drapes made of a slinky fabric, and sheets made of Chinese silk. The room was large and bright, with a large window that could be used to view the city. He seemed peaceful, almost angelic in the dawn's light. But he looked far from being heavenly. His nose was broken in two places, blood smattered his face and cuts adorned his nude body, and he was shackled to each of the posts with chains that bruised his ankles and wrists.

When he awoke, Draco struggled to stretch away the sleep while being shackled. He prayed that V wouldn't bother him as long as V thought he was still sleeping. He didn't want to make any noise; anything to stop another savage attack from this evil man. But it didn't work, and he heard a noise coming towards the door.

"Please, don't come in. I can't do it again." He pleaded. "Please, no."

Through the door timidly, thinking that Draco's pleas were directed toward somebody within the room, entered Seamus. "Draco, are you alone?"

"Seamus? Oh my god, help me, hurry, and help me please. I'm chained up to the bed. Before he comes back, I can't do this again." Draco said in a hushed voice.

"Oh, what happened?" Seamus asked rushing to his aid. "Are you okay?" He asked before noticing his nose and his body. "You're naked." He stated obviously. He kind of mumbled and stared, but realizing the seriousness of the situation, returned his attention to the fact that Draco was bound to the bed. "I don't know how to get you out."

"Break the posts!" Draco exclaimed angrily, as if it should have been obvious to Seamus.

"Okay, hold still." Seamus said. He went to the nearest post and pulled and pushed it, hoping to make some dent, but he couldn't do anything. "It's too thick, I can't break it."

Seamus said, defeated.

"Let me help you." A voice hissed behind him. Seamus spun around in time to see V reaching out for him. He didn't have enough time to duck and was raised up by his neck and thrown against the post. It didn't break, but Seamus twisted around it, flailing, and then landed on Draco. "How did you escape?" V asked. "I'll have to give Wormtail a beating for this."

"Don't bother." Seamus said. "He's dead."

V did not like this news and planned to avenge his fallen minion. "How dare you." V pulled a knife out of a pocket of his long robe. "You will pay." He lashed out and cut Seamus' shoulder. In pain, Seamus cried and held onto his now bleeding skin. V descended on him again. "For what you have done, this is less than you deserve." He grabbed Seamus' shirt, lifted him up so they could see eye to eye, Seamus' eyes were tearing and frightened, and then he threw him through the window and allowed him to fall to his death.

"Now you see my pet that you will not escape me." V said in a voice brimming with pleasure from his kill. "Don't be scared, you have nothing to worry about. That will not be your fate, I like you right where you are."

"Well, I don't like where he is." Spoke an unexpected voice. "And I won't give up until he's free."

Harry rushed into the building. It was a dank and depressing place. Water drops fell from broken pipes, the floor was cracked tile, and there were very few windows to let in the sun. He moved stealthily, hoping he wouldn't find any unsavory characters. He looked for a sign of Ron or Draco. There was nearly nothing on this floor that he deemed could be useful. He looked for a way upstairs. Opening every door he came across, he only found boxes of junk. He couldn't find a staircase, it was like the height of the building was just for show, and there really wasn't a second floor.

Then he noticed a machine in the corner. He looked around to see if anyone was near, and then ran over to it. There was just one lever on it. Because he knew there really wasn't anything more that could go wrong, he pulled it. From the ceiling, a staircase fell into the middle of the room. He ascended it quickly just before it automatically retracted into the ceiling.

He was in a similar setting as he was on the first floor, but there were many more rooms and hallways. He slowly opened the first door. It was empty. There were chains on the walls and Harry became afraid that this was what happened to Ron and Draco, chained like dogs against a wall. He closed the door and proceeded on. Every room he encountered was the same; cold, empty, bleak and adorned with chains.

He opened the room with Wormtail in it. He barely had to glance before shutting the door again. Whatever had attacked him must have been a monster, Harry had thought. He went down a long corridor, faintly lit with torches. He felt more like he was in a dungeon than in a warehouse. Harry saw a shadow around the corner. He was hoping for it to be Ron or Draco, but he wasn't going to take the chance it wasn't. Harry opened the nearest door and hid.

The room was just like the others. He ran to a set of shackles and slipped them on; if the unknown person came in. He'd be able to fake being a prisoner. Like he thought, the door handle turned. And as he hoped, Ron came through the doorway. "I thought you were going to be some sort of guard." Harry said.

"Harry, is that you?" Ron asked. Not waiting for an answer, he ran into his arms and wrapped his own around Harry's neck.

"Yes, it is me Ron." Harry said, pushing him away.

"What's wrong?" Ron asked in a worried tone. "Are you okay?"

"No, I'm not, not really, Ron. What happened? Why did Dumbledore do that to me?" Harry asked.

"Uh…" Ron muttered. He was at a loss for words; he didn't want to say what had happened.

"It was you, wasn't it? I thought it had been. You were jealous of me and Draco weren't you? I can't believe you did that." Harry said.

"And then I tried to make it right. We went looking for you the next day." Ron said.

"You shouldn't have done it to begin with." Harry said.

"I'm sorry, Harry, truly I am; I want to make it up to you. Let's get out of here; we can start fresh and new without my jealousy." Ron said.

"What about Draco?" Harry asked.

"What about him? He was my problem, we can't have him tagging along with us; I don't want some messed up love triangle. I only want you, and I only want you to want me." Ron said.

"That isn't what I meant." Harry started. "He's still here isn't he?"

"What are you talking about? He was never here. That son of a bitch abandoned me when I was being kidnapped." He lied.

"But Dean and Blaise said he was still here." Harry said.

"Because I told them that he was with me." Ron started. "And then I realized that I didn't want them to lose faith in their friend. I lied to them and said he was taken along with me." Ron lied again. He tried to keep a stoic look, so he wouldn't be caught in his lie.

"Oh. I suppose that was nice of you." Harry said, falling for the lie. "Well, then, let's go. I actually have a bit of a surprise for you. I ran into somebody that you'll be very excited to see." Together, they found the way to the first floor and the entrance of the building.

"Who is it?" Ron asked, unable to guess who he could mean.

As they left the entrance, Harry answered with a start. "Dudley?"

"Hey cousin dearest." Dudley answered mockingly, just before he let his fist ram into Harry's face.

"You deserve so much more than that." Dudley yelled as the boys constrained him, and kept him from attacking Harry. "It's your fault my dad's dead, and it's your fault my mum has gone crazy. She sent me to a workhouse, and they treated me like shit."

"Now you know what I went through living with you." Harry said. "I was never loved; I was always stuck dealing with the shit, so forgive me for not feeling sorry for you."

"Harry, who is he?" Ron asked.

"My cousin, it was from him and his parents that your dad saved me. I suppose I should thank you for that, Dudley. Yours and your parent's cruel treatment of me led me to meet the most important person in my life." Harry said.

Dudley broke down. In between gasps of air he said, "I'm sorry. Nothing I can do can change what we did. I wish it didn't happen; I wish my parents were still with me and I want to go home." The boys let go and let Dudley sink to the ground. "Forgive me." He cried looking up towards the sky. Harry walked over to him, but was unexpectedly rushed by his cousin, and was sent to the ground.

Seamus had clung to the window with all his strength. He just barely landed on a ledge that saved his life, and he was not prepared to give up now. He hoisted himself up, and fell into the room. He writhed in pain because of pressure on his fresh cuts. Shards of glass adorned his body.

V ran at him, but Seamus took an upper hand, and used it to hit V between the legs. Without haste, he crumpled over. With the little strength that remained, Seamus frisked V for keys to unlock Draco. He found them in a pocket and mustered enough will to reach the bed and unlock his friend. Draco massaged his bruised wrists and ankles and helped Seamus into a sitting position onto the bed.

"Thank you Seamus." Draco said. "Now what do we do?"

"Run." Seamus answered. "We have to get out of here." The two of them got to their feet. Draco helped Seamus to the door.

"Quickly, let's go." Draco said. They escaped the room, but Draco felt something holding him back. V had clutched Draco's shoulder and pulled him back into the room. V barricaded the door and left Seamus on the outside, barely able to stand, and screaming at him to release Draco.

"No luck for you, my pet." V said, his face contorting into a cruel grin. "You can't escape me. I've gone through too much to have you. I won't give you up that easily." V descended upon Draco and through him onto the bed. He then pounced, but adrenaline surged through Draco and he rolled out of the way.

Knowing he couldn't make it past V to get to the door, he went the only route that he could, and that was out the window. Carefully avoid glass that could cut his naked body, he jumped down to the ledge below. Noticing an access ladder to the roof, he climbed it, knowing he had no other choice.

Peering below, he saw V following him. This was it for him, he could feel it, but Draco continued to climb. The height was dizzying, and the cold air nipped at every inch of his body, but he was between a rock and a hard place. He was on the roof, a flat empty space, and ran to the other side.

"Draco!" V barked when he climbed to the top, "Come back here and you will be spared."

"No!" Draco screamed back. "I can't live this way. Not to exist as your sex slave; I will not be that."

"You don't have a choice; life or death, you will exist to please me." V said.

Draco peered over the edge, and caught a glimpse of the boys who were congregated outside the entrance. He was about to yell to them, but was stopped by a cold hand against his mouth. "You don't want to make this easy, fine." V said as he dragged Draco back to the ladder.

"I like it better rough." V said, pushing Draco to the ground. Draco howled in pain. V flipped him onto his stomach. He undid his robe and prepared to penetrate Draco. Out of nowhere, Seamus tackled V to the ground. The two rolled around, scratching and screaming, rolling closer and closer to the edge.

Draco tried to get up fast enough, he tried to scream something, but the words could not escape his lips. His eyes, clouded by tears, watched as Seamus take V over the edge.

Draco carefully hurried through the building. It didn't bother him that he was naked as long as he got to the ground to Seamus. Everything was moving in slow motion within his mind. He couldn't move fast enough.

A loud crack rang through the crowd of boys. Blood spilled out onto the pavement. They all were chattering wildly. Except for Harry who was being pinned by Dudley, and Dudley who was on top of Harry, everyone circled Seamus and V.

"You, you…" Harry mumbled.

"Saved your life? Yeah, I guess I did. " Dudley responded. "I saw them coming down from the rooftop. It must have been some deep family bond forcing me to help you. We're even now."

"Even?" Harry asked. "After all those years of torture under you and your parents, you think one single gesture is going to make up for it?"

Dudley's eyes shone melancholically, "It has to be. I am sorry for what I did, but I can't make it up to you; I don't know how." He pulled himself off of his cousin. "This one single gesture is the best I can do."

Harry contemplated what he heard. "Dudley, I guess I can forgive you because you led me here, inadvertently, and it's the best thing that has happened to me." He reached out his hand and shook Dudley's. It was a small sign that their animosity towards each other was ending.

"Harry!" Draco exclaimed. "Where's Seamus?"

Harry rushed over and embraced his friend. He took off his sweater and tied it around Draco to hide his shame. "In there." He answered, pointing to the group of boys. "I don't know if he's okay or not, he fell from the roof."

"I know." Draco started to bawl. "I didn't do anything. I saw him rolling to the edge and I let him fall." He pressed his face into Harry's shoulder and convulsed in tears.

Ron emerged from the circle of boys. "Draco, I'm so glad you're okay." Ron said without meaning it entirely. "I'm so sorry that we left you, but we were hoping to find some help. You're safe now and that's what matters."

"What?" Harry said. "You left him? You told me that he got out on his own." Harry looked at Ron and watched his facial expression. It became evident that Ron knew he was caught.

"Harry, I…" Ron started but was cut off by an urgent yell.

"Everybody back up!" Neville yelled from within the crowd. "He needs air." The crowd dispersed and Seamus was seen on top of V, breathing sparsely and clutching his body in pain.

Draco ran to Seamus' side, tears still pouring from his eyes, and crouched down next to him. "Are you okay?"

Seamus looked to Draco, nodded his head and said, "Yes. I'm okay." Draco embraced him and felt Seamus become unconscious in his arms.

Seamus awoke in Draco's arms, just as he blacked out, but he was not in the same place. It was comfortable, nothing like the ground on which he landed. "Where are we?" He whispered into Draco's ear.

"You're awake!" Draco cried. "Thank goodness. We're in Ron's brother's house. After you passed out, Harry led us here and we carried you along."

"It's nice here." Seamus said. "Anywhere would be nice with you though Draco." Seamus pressed himself into Draco. "Thank you for being here with me."

Draco held Seamus tighter. "This never should have happened. I saw you were about to fall and I did nothing to stop you."

"You can't blame yourself." Seamus said. "I knew the ledge was there. I did it on purpose. I wanted him to die for what he did to you. If I died as well, then at least he'd be dead too."

"I didn't know that people would sacrifice themselves for another." Draco kissed Seamus' forehead. "Thank you." His lips left kisses along Seamus' brow and nose before reaching his lips. "Seamus…" Draco started. "I think I love you."

"You think?" Seamus asked. "Give me a few minutes and I'll make sure you _know_." He pressed his lips against Draco's in the most persuasive manner he could.

While one relationship was being kindled, another relationship's fire was slowly dying.

"Is everyone gone?" Harry asked.

"Draco and Seamus are still in the other room, but otherwise yes. They all are going back to Dumbledore." Ron answered.

"Good. So once Seamus feels better we'll leave too." Harry said.

"What?" Ron asked. "We're not going back there when we have this nice place to live."

"Oh, you misunderstood me. When I said we, I was referring to Seamus, Draco, and myself." Harry said.

"Harry, I don't understand." Ron said, hoping that he really didn't understand.

"I can't stay with you." Harry said. "I'm tired of your jealousy. It could have killed Seamus and Draco."

"Please don't leave." Ron pleaded. "I can't lose you again. I know that what I did was wrong, but I did it out of love."

"If that's what you're calling love, I would rather not have any of it." Harry replied.

"What do you expect to find back there? Draco isn't going to love you. He loves Seamus." Ron said bitingly. The idea of Draco and Harry caused him to get upset.

"How do you know?" Harry asked.

"Did you see him? He was so distraught that Seamus could have been dead." Ron answered back. "Seamus risked his life for Draco. They have a connection, and so do we." Ron walked closer to Harry. "Please don't leave me." He put his hands on Harry's shoulders, and leaned in to kiss him.

Harry backed up. "I'm sorry Ron, but I don't think we have that connection anymore." Harry walked out of the room to see Percy walking out of the room where Seamus and Draco were.

Percy was smiling. "He's awake, but don't go in there now. The boys are having an intimate moment." Harry nodded. His mind began to race. _Draco really does love Seamus. Ron was right. If I go back with them, what will become of me? At least here, a nice home, a good life, all I have to do is love Ron. Or pretend to still be in love. _He returned to the room where Ron was. He threw himself into Ron's arms. He kissed Ron deeply and brought him to the bed where he proceeded to rip off his clothes.

"Harry, what are you doing?" Ron asked, pulling Harry off of his face so he could breathe.

"You were right. Draco and Seamus they're together, so any feelings that I may have had for Draco, I can't do anything about them. I can't go back with them, so I have to settle for you." Harry said, returning to kissing along Ron's torso.

Ron was content, so he allowed Harry to continue. Harry was about to take Ron's pants off when Ron thought about what Harry just said, "What do you mean you have to settle for me?" Ron asked.

"I didn't mean it like that." Harry said. He had Ron's knickers at his ankles and started kissing the inside of his thighs. "I just meant that I wasn't going to choose you first."

"Harry, that's a not a good thing." Ron said. "If I can't be your first choice…"

"So you want me to go?" Harry asked. He started running his hands up Ron's thighs.

Ron gulped. "Well, no, but do you want to be doing what you're doing right now."

"Should I not want to?" Harry asked.

"Yes, but no. I don't know. Harry, you're just reacting badly to Draco being with Seamus." Ron said. "I want you to want this love to happen, but I know that you don't want it."

"Are you sure you want me to stop though? I can make you feel good." Harry said, blowing between Ron's legs.

"Harry you have to stop." Ron said. He got up and pulled up his trousers. "I love you so much, but I'm not going to let you fake it because Draco chose someone else." He pulled Harry up off his knees and sat next to him on the bed. "I know I don't deserve it, but I want a second chance. I want to prove that I'm still worthy of the love you had for me."

"I don't know if I can do that Ron." Harry said. "Too many lies, and so much jealousy. So many of us could have died for it." Harry stood up from the bed. "But I don't want to go back with them now. I want to stay here."

"With me?" Ron looked hopeful. "Because you love me."

"So I can stay out of the streets, and so I don't have to be reminded of Draco and Seamus. I want that chapter of my life to be over with." Harry replied.

"No." Ron shook his head. "No. I can't let you hurt me. If you can't love me, you can't stay here."

"Hurt you? All you've done lately has hurt me. I'm sorry that the one time I hurt you, you don't have a thick enough skin to deal with it."

"I need you to leave." Ron said.

"But Ron, please, I don't want to go back there." Harry begged.

"It's best for us both." Ron said. He exited his room. Leaving Harry alone.

An hour later, after a meal and a sad goodbye, Draco and Harry, assisting Seamus in walking, left the house. Ron told his brother he was tired and wanted to retire early. He crashed into his bed. Pressing his face tightly into his pillow, Ron screamed out all the frustration, anger and sadness that he had within him. He let the best thing in his life go. Now he was alone, but it was for the best. Harry would never love him again, not for all the mistakes that he made. Ron knew that sending Harry away hurt him, but he was too selfish to think about Harry's pain when his own was there. He knew that he had Percy and his new wife, and maybe he could meet another person to love. After his pillow was thoroughly drenched in his tears, he fell into a fit of sleep.

Tapping infected his mind. It was all he could hear; a light tapping coming from a distance. Ron ran towards it, but couldn't find it. It got louder and more urgent. He still had no luck in figuring out what it was. The noise became a pounding until a loud shattering crash woke him from his dream. He jerked up and saw a rock and glass in the moonlight streaming in from his now broken window. He carefully walked to the window, avoiding the glass, and peered out into the night.

Harry stood there. Ron, no longer caring about broken glass, ran through his room, out the door and then out to the lawn. "Harry," He started, "Why are you here?"

"I need to be with you. Every moment that I'm not with you is torturous. I mean it. I can't live without you. You allowed me to live this wonderful life. Before you, I was in a hellhole, but you helped it become better. I know that it may not happen right away, but I know I can love you again. I know I love you. I should have fought for us earlier. Harry said.

"I know it's mostly my faults that have hurt us, but I promise that I can change. No more jealousy, no more lies. I will treat you like you should be treated. I will earn your love." Ron said with a big smile on his face as he pulled Harry near.

He wrapped his arms around Ron's waist and kissed him. "Thank you for taking me in."

Nearly echoing his father, Ron said as he led Harry into the house, "You're going to be very happy here with me, Harry, I'm sure of it."


End file.
